Imagine being an elderly person who’s been forced out of your home, with no place to go in the bitter cold.

That is but just one of the many heart-wrenching stories a kindhearted group of volunteers have witnessed up close and personal.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any quick resolution in place to help curb the dire issue of homelessness that exists for those less fortunate in the Lehighton community.

Nancy Berchtold, officer of St. Vincent de Paul Society of SS. Peter & Paul in Lehighton, said there have been instances of three elderly women, two forced out of their homes by relatives, and one who relies on a walker.

A few weeks ago, Berchtold said they sheltered an elderly homeless man who was diabetic and a double amputee, and rushed him to the ER in a diabetic coma.

“The shelter has been packed,” said Berchtold in reference to the Lehighton Cold Weather Station at Ebenezer Church, 119 S. Third St., Lehighton.

Heartbreaking stories

The Lehighton Cold Weather Station is a coalition of churches under the support of St. Vincent de Paul Society of SS. Peter & Paul.

Grace Clayton, a volunteer, said there are many stories “that are just so shocking and heartbreaking.”

“We have a particular view in mind when we talk about the homeless,” Clayton said. “You don’t think of an elderly person or a grandmother being forced out of their home.”

Clayton said the next step is “to make the community aware these things are real, and they’re happening right in font of us.”

“It’s overwhelming when you have to figure out how to help somebody,” she said. “We’re limited, we have one room, we’re just not equipped for this.”

Clayton said the group needs more people to get involved in being able to get legal advice for people, and people advocating for those who are in such difficult circumstances.

“It’s the hopelessness that you see in people that get dropped off with a single bag in hand, they don’t have a phone, they have no vehicle, they don’t even know where to start or what to do,” she said. “We’re trying to figure it out as we go.”

“As a community, it would be awesome to see more and more people involved in making those connections. “Maybe there are community organizations already helping in this area, and we would like to reach out to them.

“Any community organization that want to work with us, we are eager to make contact with them; we’re reaching out to the ones we are aware of, but this has got to be a collaboration of the community.”

Clayton noted they are all volunteer-based, with no pay.

“We’re not case workers,” she said. “But we just see a need and are trying to help fill the need.”

More than a place to sleep

At present, Clayton said they have about 40 people chaperoning at the shelter, some who serve one shift (four hours) a week, and others who have five shifts (20 hours), and added many hours are often overnight.

She said about 25 volunteers are providing food, bringing in meals, and a large number of people in the community who have volunteered to provide supplies and who are helping with funding.

In addition, Clayton said they have about 100 people on their mailing list who do various tasks such as providing supplies and funding. She added they’re looking for people to provide transportation, and that there’s no shortage of ways to get involved, including a need for people to give some legal advice on different matters.

“It really is a community effort; there’s a need just beyond the shelter,” she said. “They don’t just need a place to sleep, they need so much more than that; they need some systemic changes, some societal changes.

Clayton noted they have a 950-square-foot place and have tried to stay open during the day, and while they’ve had enough volunteers to do it, it’s a very small space to have so many people crowded in.

“(Monday) night we had 16 people in, faces change from night to night,” said Clayton, who noted they have probably had between 30-40 people through the doors, some of whom have moved into rehab, some managed to get into housing, some of them have chosen not to be at the shelter at this time. “Most nights we have 15 people.”

Clayton said the shelter, which serves dinner and breakfast every day, is open from 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 a.m., though sometimes they extend those hours because of the severe cold.

Input needed

As of Monday night, Clayton said the shelter has been open 50 nights so far this season, and believes the next task is to start community discussion about the situation.

“We’re overwhelmed by the generosity of the community, and people have really stepped up and been just amazing,” she said. “(But) people need to hear the stories of the people who are experiencing their (struggles) of homelessness and how we as a community can help.

“We need to change some things, we’re going to need resources to do that, we need people to get involved,” she said. “Money is always helpful, but people are what’s in short supply; none of these problems are simple problems.

“I’ve been working with two women; we haven’t scraped the surface of what needs to happen with them. We just need more people to really get involved.”

Volunteers do not need experience, just compassion and a willingness to learn, the group says.

The basement of Ebenezer United Methodist Church is open when temperatures are 25 degrees or lower at night. It’s open at 6 p.m. for registration and dinner to the homeless when it’s 25 degrees or lower.

Berchtold noted that St. Luke’s doctors are ready to set up a street medics clinic at SS. Peter & Paul Church — St. Vincent de Paul, and added their social services, drug and alcohol, mental health, and CareerLink are all a great help.

The Lehighton Cold Weather Station opened its doors on Dec. 1 in the basement of the Ebenezer United Methodist Church at the corner of Third and South streets across from the Lehighton Police Station and Lehighton Fire Department.

Berchtold said they provide food, mostly from volunteers and folks donating food items, but that they would love to have donations of nighttime meals.

Berchtold said they are seeking more volunteers and donations to offset costs for heating, and are grateful for any assistance.

The Lehighton Cold Weather Station is always accepting hand warmers, hats and gloves, and chaperon hours. They are located in the corner of Third and South streets in town by the park.

Those interested in volunteering may sign up to provide meals or chaperon at lehightoncoldweatherstation.org. For more information, call 570-657-6738.