Mission Statement
“The mission of Community Shelter Services, Inc. is to preserve the dignity and support the development of individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness by providing temporary, transitional and permanent options for shelter, as well as supportive services, referrals, advocacy and community education.”
Important Statistics:
The agency helps over 1,000 men, women and children each year right here in Erie County.
The Emergency Shelter has the most beds in the city – 55 beds to help the homeless at any time during the year.
Clients in the Emergency Shelter attend anger management classes, parenting, and self-esteem classes on-site each week.
The agency asks for donations from the public of gently-used clothing that can be dropped off to 652 West 16th Street.
The Single Room Occupancy (SRO) facilities house over 90 units. The SRO is similar to a dorm room. There are two SRO facilities – the 3rd and 4th floors of Columbus Apartments and the Lodge on Sass (located on 9th and Sass.) The Lodge on Sass is reserved for chronically homeless, mostly mentally-ill individuals.
The main causes of homelessness are mental illness, drugs and alcohol, bad relationships and poor life decisions.