New 'Code Blue' Winter Shelter Opens In Lansdale

LANSDALE, PA — With a significant homeless population and an at-risk population that continues to grow yearly, Montgomery County has opened up a new "Code Blue" winter shelter in Lansdale.

The building, located in Wissahickon Park, opened for the first time this week to five single women. County officials identified homeless and at-risk women specifically as a population of need in the local area.

“Homelessness is a significant issue, one that will not be solved quickly or easily, but hopefully the opening of these new shelters, including one in Lansdale, marks the start of continued cooperative efforts and impactful solutions," Lansdale Borough Council President Mary Fuller said.

The shelter is a partnership between Montgomery County, Lansdale, and several local groups, including Manna on Main Street, Trinity Lutheran Evangelical Church, and others.

It's the fifth new Code Blue shelter to open in Montgomery County since November, marking a significant investment from officials in addressing an ongoing issue as winter gets underway.

As the new shelter opens, the county remains under a Code Blue watch, with temperatures and wind chills threatening to dip into the teens and twenties through Sunday.

Facilities are staffed by trained volunteers and professionals.

“No one should spend a night outside in the cold," Montgomery County Commissioner Jamila Winder said in a statement. "The need for transitional housing is acute, and while we work with our municipal partners to address the larger housing crisis, we’re also taking immediate steps to expand our network of Code Blue shelters and provide additional resources for those who are most at risk during the winter."

Other local nonprofits that are working to support the shelter include:

• Alternative Resources Network
• The Open Link
• Upper Perkiomen Homelessness Coalition
• Upper Perkiomen Valley
• VNA Foundation of Greater North Penn
• Connelly Foundation

Individuals experiencing homelessness in Montgomery County can contact the Your Way Home Call Center at 610-278-3522 for assistance and to learn more.