Community Shelter Services is thankful for a group of ladies known as the “Soup Group!” Every other Thursday, these women create healthy and delicious, homemade soups for those staying in the emergency shelter! One of their most popular creations has been chicken noodle soup.  Joe Cancilla, the Director of the Emergency Shelter, taste-tasted many of the culinary masterpieces saying, “The soups are very good!  Everyone looks forward to the next tasty treat that the ladies will create for those hunger and in need of food while staying in the shelter.”

If you’d like to form your own group and serve a meal at the agency, click on denise@communityshelter.org or to make a financial donation to help offset the cost of serving meals in the emergency shelter, make a donation online.

The number of people experiencing homelessness increases during recessions. Increasing numbers of unemployed people are unable to afford rent and local governments are unable to keep up with assistance. Based on the projected increase of persons in deep poverty - those earning one-half of the poverty level - the National Alliance to End Homelessness has released a paper estimating that approximately 866,000 additional Americans will experience homelessness at some point during each of the next two years. In other words, without intervention, an additional 1.5 million Americans will experience homelessness in 2009 and 2010.

If you have a heart for homelessness, consider donating your time or providing much-needed monetary support! These two-month old baby boys are named Justin and Jayden. They are the latest arrivals at the emergency shelter! If you’d like to make a financial contribution to help feed and shelter those staying at Community Shelter Services, click make a donation online.

On Wednesday, February 18th you can help the homeless at Community Shelter Services by enjoying a basketball game! The Gannon University Golden Knights, who have a 16-2 overall record, take on Edinboro University’s Fighting Scots on the hardwood at the Gannon’s Hammermill Center starting at 7 p.m. Gannon’s Student Athletic Advisory Committee is asking the community to donate toiletries or make a financial contribution to the homeless shelter online . All proceeds that are raised will help serve the 1,000 men, women and children that turn to the agency when they have no place else to go in their time of need.