With the opening of its new space at 105 E. Washington St., Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Services (ECHOS) can continue to serve the community as it prepares to open its emergency shelter in December.

"Our new shelter is three to four times bigger than our old one," said Brie Anderson, executive director. "We now have 6,800 square feet." The larger space has been made possible by the United Churches Elizabethtown Area, which owns the building.

The shelter can now accommodate up to 30 individuals in a communal room, along with three dedicated family rooms.

"A lot of shelters separate people by gender, but we believe in keeping the family together," explained Chrissie Raffensperger, shelter coordinator, adding that single fathers, for example, will be able to stay with their children at the ECHOS shelter. It's just one of the ways ECHOS is working to break down barriers facing people who are homeless, she noted.

The new shelter has also eliminated bunk beds in favor of single beds, making each bed more accessible to guests, and also features multiple electrical outlets for people to charge their devices. Lockers will be provided as well for guests to store items during the day when they may be at a job or other appointments.

A new commercial kitchen will allow for easier prep and service of meals, with more room for guests to eat and socialize. The new site also features two commercial washers and dryers, allowing volunteers to do laundry on site for the first time.

A small de-escalation room will provide space for guests to get away from the general population if necessary, and an expanded room for overnight volunteers has also been added.

On the main floor of the new building, an enrichment center offers access to job and community resources as well as the opportunity to work with a case manager. In early 2022, six apartments will open in the building as well.

The new site couldn't have been ready at a better time, Anderson said. "We are anticipating this year to be our most full year," she stated. "We've seen an increase every year in the amount of shelter guests we've served."

The ECHOS emergency shelter is a low-barrier shelter, Raffensperger explained, meaning there are minimal requirements to be eligible to use it. The shelter is open to anyone from or with connections to the area ECHOS serves - Elizabethtown, Bainbridge, Rheems, Marietta, Mount Joy and Maytown.

Both Anderson and Raffensperger stress, however, that the shelter cannot operate without the service of volunteers.

"I need a minimum of 70 volunteers each week," Raffensperger noted. Volunteers can help with anything from checking people in or out to serving meals, cleaning or providing overnight supervision.

Intake for the emergency shelter will begin on Monday, Dec. 6. The shelter season will run through Friday, April 1, 2022.

"We know that homelessness doesn't end after April 1, of course," Anderson said, noting that the long-term goal of ECHOS is to open a year-round shelter. "For now, we're just trying to serve the most people who have the greatest need for our services."

For more information on the ECHOS emergency shelter, visit https://echoslancaster.org.