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READING, Pennsylvania – Sunday is World Homeless Day. It is a global initiative to raise awareness and help those in need. A regional faith-based ministry – already making a difference – is looking to expand its operations to help some of our community’s most vulnerable members.
According to data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development in January 2020, before the pandemic moved into high gear, Pennsylvania had a population of more than 13,000 people struggling with homelessness.
“People come from all walks of life, from all walks of life that could lead to homelessness,” Frank Grill, associate director of Hope Rescue Mission in Reading, told 69 News.
Hope Rescue Mission is a faith-based ministry that has worked to help those at risk for over a hundred years.
“Our mission at Hope Rescue is simply to meet all of the needs of anyone who is homeless. Physical needs and spiritual needs, ”Grill said.
The mission serves over a hundred meals – three times a day, 365 days a year. Although World Homeless Day contributes to a goal, Grill said there was still work to be done.
Currently, Hope Rescue Mission only houses men, but they are working on a fundraising campaign to build a center for women and children. According to HUD data from January 2020, more than 1,500 households and more than 700 unaccompanied young adults have experienced homelessness in Pennsylvania
“It is desperately needed. There are places, shelters in the city that accommodate women, but there are very few beds. And for a lot of them there are exclusions, ”Grill said. “You have to be pregnant or be a victim of domestic violence. We want our refuge to come as you are. It doesn’t matter how old you are, how many children you have.
The goal is to open the new shelter in 2022. You can find out more by visiting Hope Rescue Mission website.
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