Bell Family Shelter – emergency help for homeless families
Bell Family Shelter opened in 1986 and remains York County’s only 30-day emergency shelter serving homeless families. [ call directly at 717-845-9536]
The Shelter’s eleven-bedroom facility houses as many as forty people per night (about half of whom are under the age of 12) and provides basic needs for food, clothing and shelter.
When families arrive at the Shelter doorstep they often require more than just a safe place to sleep for the night. Throughout their stay they meet with staff to build a personalized family goal plan to help them regain and maintain independent living in the community.
Since many of the families are homeless because of insufficient income, job loss or poor housing conditions they receive intensive guidance sessions, workshops and classes to learn budgeting and parenting skills, assistance to secure permanent housing and job placement, and access to a network of community resources.
Working with Shelter staff, many families secure permanent housing in fewer than 20 days. Most of the families (89%) utilizing the Shelter never need to access emergency housing again.
The Shelter is open 365 days/nights a year and accepts drug-free couples or single parents with children, couples in long-standing relationships, and single women who have been residents of York County for at least 60 days.
How can you help?
Consider an ADOPT-A-DAY contribution or check out OUR WISHLIST and organize a gathering of in-kind donations or share your time as a VOLUNTEER. (Contact our Outreach Coordinator, Janel Fox, to talk about volunteer opportunities, wish list needs, or to SCHEDULE A TOUR.)