Want to help the homeless? Here’s how to do it

When considering how to help the homeless, the vast majority of people approach it with good intentions.

Most are inclined to give one-time donations to shelters by way of food, clothing or personal hygiene items. Those are well-intended, but not always the best way to give or help. In fact, service providers say that donations such as food - particularly perishable food - often are more of a hindrance than a help to a well-established system that already functions effectively.

Area providers say those who are willing and able to help can do the most good with a financial contribution (see a list of agencies is provided at the end of this story). Social service agencies need money to pay for staff and supplies.

Financial donations are more beneficial than well-intentioned gifts of food, providers say. For starters, the idea that the homeless are going hungry is largely a misconception.

“We have so much food provision in our community,” said Deborah Ritchey, project manager at the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness. “Yes, there’s the element of a food desert, but also if you want to eat in this town, you can have five meals a day.”

Organizations that provide outreach to the homeless typically operate a well-oiled system that relies on large quantities of food. One-time donations of small amounts of food can sometimes simply cause chaos - if not needlessly duplicate efforts.

“Well intended people will go to outreach and undermine established meal efforts like Helping Hands Ministry, which have been doing what they do for 40 years,” Ritchey said. “Duplication of efforts is wasteful. Just join existing efforts and really make an impact.”

That support of existing services and financial donations are the two biggest ways that people can help.

“We have a lot of people who want to donate things, hats and gloves and coats,” said Anne Guenin, director of Downtown Daily Bread. “Those things are great, but I always think of us in terms of what we do. We don’t make anything or sell anything. We have a staff of people who are here when people show up. Our basic expense is our people. The people who are here reach out to help every individual person who walks through the door.”

Financial contributions are critical to ensuring organizations can pay salaries as well as purchase items and services that are critical to homeless people.

Downtown Daily Bread, for instance, purchases PennDOT photo identification cards - which cost $31 a piece - and open critical access to services and assistance. The organization also purchases laundry cards, which provide homeless individuals and families with the ability to care for their clothes and hygiene.

“That is money out of our pocket,” Guenin said. “We need money more than we need more hats and gloves.”

In terms of cold weather gear such as hats, gloves and coats, Guenin said that for the most part organizations are in good shape. In fact, the pandemic has posed a challenge in how organizations distribute donated items, so it all comes back to financial assistance.

“We don’t want a lot of people moving around now,” she said. “I would really encourage people who want to help to make a financial contribution so we can get the help where it is needed.”

Darrel Reinford, executive director of Christian Churches United, urges people who want to help to research the various organizations to learn about what they do.

“My thing is to learn what is going on already and try to support it,” he said. “The reality is that there are a lot of folks out there feeding the homeless. What we need are people with connections who can help with funding so we can help people who want to get off the street into affordable housing.”

Reinford said tried and true volunteerism is always helpful.

“One of the most important things that folks who are homeless need to know is that they are not alone,” he said. “In this time in particular, it’s important for them to realize they are not alone.”

Central Pennsylvania has a broad community-based homeless outreach network focused on helping individuals and families and ensuring they get the appropriate assistance for their needs.

Here is a list of some of these organizations, along with their contact information for those who want to help.

  • Downtown Daily Bread: a day shelter located at 234 South Street, top floor; 9 a.m. to noon Monday – Fridays; adults ages 18 years and older
  • To help: visit www.downtowndailybread.org; or send a check made to Downtown Daily Bread, 301 N. Third St., Harrisburg, PA 17101; Give by credit card www.downtowndailybread.org; or collect and drop-off essential items that the organization distributes to homeless clients. For a current wish list of items, please contact Susan Cann, director of development, at scann@pinestreet.org, (717) 238-4717 ext. 123.

HELP Ministries – Emergency Services Central Intake; 413 S. 19th Street, Harrisburg; Phone: (717) 238-2851; runs an emergency shelter placement for single women, single women with children, or families to the YWCA, Shalom House, or Interfaith Shelter. Go here to help.

Dauphin County Crisis Intervention; 100 Chestnut Street, Harrisburg; (717) 232-7511 or 1-888-596-4447

Northern Dauphin Human Service Center; 295 State Drive, Elizabethville; (717) 905-2700 or (877) 893-3344

Emergency Shelter Providers

Bethesda Men’s Mission, 611 Reily Street, Harrisburg; (717) 257-4440; runs an emergency shelter for transient males, as well as recovery residential and spiritual development program

YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter; 1101 Market Street, Harrisburg; (717) 238-7273; (800) 654-1211; for women and children who are immediately homeless because of domestic violence.

YWCA Emergency Shelter; 1101 Market Street, Harrisburg; (717) 238-7273; (800) 654-1211; a 28-day emergency shelter stay for women and women with children.

Interfaith Family Shelter, a program of Catholic Charities; (717) 652-8740; a 28- day emergency shelter stay for single or dual parent families or married couples.

Shalom House; (717) 232- 2482; 28-day emergency shelter stay for women and women with children.

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING

Another way to help is to give to transitional housing outreach.

ARC-A Program of the Salvation Army; 3650 Vartan Way, Harrisburg. (717) 541-0203; a six-months or more Christian residential recovery and rehabilitation program.

Bethesda Men’s Mission; 611 Reily Street, Harrisburg, (717) 257-4440; long-term recovery housing and program services

Bethesda’s Women’s Center, (717) 257-4447; long-term recovery house and program services

Brethren Housing Association Transitions Program, 219 Hummel Street, Harrisburg, (717) 233-6016; intake@bha-pa.org

Bridge of Hope, P.O. Box 15212, Harrisburg, (717) 635-5957; Rental assistance, rental transitional or rental permanent housing for single mothers and their children: bridgeofhope.hbg@gmail.com

Family Promise of Harrisburg Capital Region; 717-737-1100; 60-day shelter for families; fphcrdirector@gmail.com

Lourdes House; Transitional housing for expectant mothers; a program of Catholic Charities; 120 Willow Road Suite C, Harrisburg; (717) 412-4265

Promise Place: a program for female offenders; 321 South 2nd Street, Steelton; (717) 985-6440

Shalom House Veterans Housing; Up to 24 months of transitional housing; homeless veteran females and their children; 2138 & 2140 7th Street, Harrisburg; (717) 232-3482

Trinity House; a program of Bethesda Mission for graduates of Bethesda Men’s Mission Recovery Program; (717) 920-9547

YWCA Bridge Housing; 1101 Market Street, Harrisburg; (717) 234-7931; 12 to 18 months transitional housing

Emergency Shelter Intake & Homelessness Prevention Resources

HELP Ministries; 413 S. 19th Street, Harrisburg; (717) 238-2851

Tri County Community Action PPL OnTrack

PA The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Salvation Army – Harrisburg

Alder Health Services – HIV-Related Housing and Assistance Programs

Helping Hands Missions Ministry, 101 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg; (717) 221-0490

DAUPHIN LINK & Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging; 800-328-0058 or 1/800-998-4827 TTY 717/737-3564

Legal Services: Legal aid for low-income individuals and families, the elderly, the disabled, children and survivors of domestic violence.

Community Justice Project, 118 Locust Street, Harrisburg, (717) 236-9486, ext. 210

Midpenn Legal Services, 213-A N. Front Street, Harrisburg, (717) 232-0581

YWCA Domestic Violence Legal Center & Visitation Services, 114 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, (717) 724-0516

Finally, the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness provides a good network for these outreach programs. The coalition can be reached at (717) 255-6587.

FACING UNCERTAINTY?

The Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency are urging homeowners struggling to pay their mortgages to take advantage of options to lower or pause payments before some federal protections end on Dec. 31.

Homeowners who are uncertain about their ability to make their mortgage payments should take the following steps before the deadline affecting some federally backed mortgages:

  • Determine if your mortgage is guaranteed by a federal government agency such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, USDA, FHA/HUD, VA, or Ginnie Mae. Contact your loan servicer through the information provided on your most recent monthly statement to help make this determination.
  • If your mortgage qualifies and you have been affected directly or indirectly by COVID-19, talk to your servicer and request a COVID-19 forbearance. A servicer may provide an initial three-month or month-to-month forbearance, but you have the right to be granted forbearance for up to 180 days. You also have the right to an extension for up to 180 days.
  • For homeowners already enrolled in a forbearance agreement, continue to communicate with your servicer.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has more information about federally backed mortgage relief and protections.

Homeowners can find more information on the department’s PA Money Talks blog. Contact the Department of Banking and Securities at 1-800-PA-BANKS or 1-800-600-0007 if you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about your mortgage or other financial matter.

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