Bloomsburg Shelter Needs Volunteers as 5 Find Jobs, Homes

Five people who were sleeping on the streets just weeks ago now have jobs, and one has moved into permanent housing, thanks to a small shelter in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

The AGAPE Code Blue shelter opened three years ago to give people a warm place to sleep when winter temperatures make outdoor survival dangerous. Executive Director Karla Alexander says the program has grown beyond just providing beds to include showers, laundry, and case management that teaches people how to rebuild their lives.

"We want to bring them in at night to make sure that they're safe and to keep them out of the elements," Alexander told reporters as temperatures prepared to drop into single digits across central Pennsylvania.

This season, 32 people have signed up for services and 27 have spent at least one night at the shelter. Nine people now stay regularly, and the success stories are adding up faster than last year.

The shelter operates from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily, marked by blue lights outside the entrance. Volunteers staff the overnight shifts, providing not just safety but a pathway forward for people ready to start over.

The Ripple Effect

The success is creating a challenge. AGAPE now runs two Code Blue locations in Bloomsburg, but they can't always keep both open because they need more volunteers.

Alexander is asking community members to donate just four hours of their time to help keep people safe through the winter. Last year, 54 people used each location by season's end, and numbers are climbing again.

The shelter welcomes everyone, including people with pets. AGAPE stocks food and supplies so no one has to choose between warmth and their animal companions.

Alexander worries about the people still outside, especially during this week's dangerous cold snap. "I'm hoping they will come in," she said.

One person already has a roof over their head permanently, and five others are earning paychecks that could lead them to the same future.