With plummeting temperatures, the homeless are on the minds of people in Schuylkill County.

At Wednesday’s weekly county commissioners’ meeting, Jeff Dunkel of Palo Alto asked the commissioners if there is some kind of organization to help the homeless.

Commissioners’ Chairman Larry Padora said there are various county and community organizations that try to help, but no one organization.

“There is a good complement of people to help in the community,” Padora said, “There was a soup kitchen, but unfortunately it closed. There are county programs, churches, nonprofit groups and food pantries. There is a tight-knit group of people. When it is cold like this, there are people who make sure they have shelter, There is help out there.”

Dunkel said he would like to see a task force formed to make sure whoever has needs gets them met.

“I was in North Carolina recently to help hurricane victims,” Dunkel said, “There is a place there called Transformation Villa. They offer all of the services the homeless need — shelter and food — there under one roof.”

The North Carolina program also offers the homeless the opportunity to attend community college to gain skills.

Padora said he is looking into what programs the government offers that the county could take advantage of to further the effort to help the homeless.