MoCo Homeless Shelter Needs Food, Clothing Donations Before Storm

From Montgomery Community Media:

ROCKVILLE, MD — Donations of easy-to-fix food, paper plates, toilet paper and winter clothes are urgently needed to help the county’s homeless shelter make it through the expected weekend storm.

The Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless is prepared to house over 200 men during the snow storm that is forecast to hit the area on Friday and Saturday.

On Monday night, one of the coldest nights of the winter season, the emergency shelter housed 189 men at its location on East Gude Drive in Rockville.

Debbie Ezrin, the MCCH director of development and communications, said she expects a blizzard may increase that count.

According to Ezrin, the shelter has the capacity to serve 235 men every night, and men can just walk in from the street to find a safe place to stay.

The coalition is asking the community for donations to help support the county’s most vulnerable residents during this busy time. Because the shelter does not have a food preparation kitchen, it’s important for staff to stock up on prepared foods that just need reheating.

Some of the items and clothing that the shelter could use right now, include:

• Coffee, tea, sugar and creamer
• Milk
• Cereal
• Bottled Water
• Granola Bars
• Sandwich bread
• Canned tuna
• Bagels and cream cheese
• Canned soup
• Canned vegetables and fruit
• Frozen lasagna
• Frozen vegetables
• Paper plates, cups and bowls
• Plastic silverware
• Toilet paper
• Tissues
• Paper Towels
• Winter jackets
• Winter boots
• Hats and gloves
• Thick socks
• Long underwear
• Ice Melt
• Hand held can openers

You can drop off donations at any time at the front counter at 600A E. Gude Drive in Rockville.

Ezrin said the shelter relies on the community’s help to minimize expenses. Last year, more than 101,000 meals were prepared by 4,000 volunteers.

The shelter serves all men in the county aged 18 and over.

You can find out more, here.

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