Tim’s House holds blanket donation drive in St. Albans

Read the full article at MyChamplainValley. Here is an excerpt:

St. Albans, VT- Community members in St. Albans joined forces to support those fighting homelessness. A blanket drive organized by the Samaritan House collected over 100 blankets.

“Reception has been unbelievable,” said Robert Giles, Community Specialist at the Samaritan House, “far exceeding my expectations.”

Orlando Delgado, an intern with the Samaritan House said, “The people in St. Albans they don’t only just give, but they give with open arms.”

The Samaritan House also operates Tim’s House in St. Albans, and recent renovations will allow the organization to host more people. But still, organizers emphasize the need for emergency shelter, as 34 people are on the waiting list as of Monday.

“There’s definitely been an uptick in homelessness because the housing market is so short,” said Giles, “The average stay in the homeless market is just over a year so we’re doing renovations, so people have a room and feel like it’s theirs.”

One person among those receiving blankets from the drive talked about their struggle to find shelter. They chose not to share their name for privacy reasons, but said, “When the temperature gets down below zero, it’s nice to have a warm blanket. The place is usually always full. Not enough beds for everyone who needs help. In that case, you’re left stranded outside in the elements until beds open up.”