BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. (WJAC) — Hundreds of people in Blair County are searching for a place to call home and a bed to sleep in at night.

That was the motivation for Family Services Incorporated to open up their new 35-bed family shelter.

"With 230+ people on the by-name list -- the waiting list -- we knew that we needed a larger shelter. That's why we moved to a building where we could have 35 beds," Executive Director Lisa Hann told 6 News.

An open house was held for the new shelter -- located along North Branch Avenue in Altoona -- Wednesday afternoon to welcome community members.

After purchasing the building in 2019, their idea became a reality over the last five years in a prime location.

"We're right next door to Blair County Community Action, which our clients utilize. We're just down the block from the soup kitchen, Sister Paula's. We're just down the block from the food pantry," said Hann.

They have a total of $2,562,999 committed and need an additional $637,000, according to their website.

Leaders say they're also in need of volunteers and interns to keep up with their ever increasing demand.

Prior to the pandemic, I'd say we saw numbers in the hundreds. Once the pandemic hit, it's just been going up," Hann told 6 News.

Residents can sign a contract to stay for 30 days, which could be extended by two weeks under "specific circumstances."

One of the rooms is dedicated to Lisa's late husband, Bill, in the spirit of helping people get back onto their feet.

"We have an awesome, trained staff, and they want to help," Hann told 6 News.

If you're interested in donating or volunteering, call Family Services Incorporated at (814) 944-3583.

Click here to learn more on the Family Services Incorporated website.

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