BUFFALO, N.Y. — As we head into the middle of a Western New York winter, Code Blue shelters will begin to fill up.
"It just consistently stays pretty steady. We haven't seen any dramatic increases in numbers, but the population certainly has changed in the eight years I've been doing this," said Jean Bennett, the Restoration Society's Director for Housing and Homeless Services.
Bennett is also involved with the Western New York Coalition for the Homeless and oversees the Code Blue shelters.
She said when a Code Blue is in effect, she usually sees about 100 people between St. Luke's on Walden Avenue, Harbor House on Genesee Street and Holy Cross on Niagara Street.
Though the numbers are steady, it is who they are seeing at those shelters that is changing.
"The ones who have really increased are young adults and women," Bennett said. "Last year we served anywhere from eight to 10 a night. This year there have been nights where we've had 20 in our Code Blue shelter."
With so many women coming to shelters, the organization has started to change how it operates.
"We've even had to change staffing so that we have more female shelter workers to address the needs of the women," she said. "It has changed the way that we have taken donation.
"In the past, it was all about being able to provide men with dry socks, jeans, sweatshirts, jackets, that kind of thing. We have been seeking donations for women's items as well."
Rates of homelessness among veterans and families is on the decline, so why are women on the rise?
"Rents have gone up substantially. I think women are also being more empowered to leave abusive relationships, step outside, do things on there own independently, and when they falter, they end up in a shelter," Bennett added.
Bennett said other reasons could be loss of a job, loss of an apartment or mental health issues.
Her main goal is to reduce the number of homeless people in Buffalo and reduce common stigmas.
"There are some very well educated, hard working people that end up homeless for a variety of reasons " she said.
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