Connecticut organizations help people in need during cold months

The holiday season is about helping others, but many organizations in our region help people year-round.

"Any and everybody is welcome,” said Charles Brown, who works at Grace and Mercy Church’s warming shelter in Middletown.

For him, working at the warming shelter is all about giving back.

He says helping others reminds him of the life he once had, saying there was a point in time where he'd need warming shelters, too.

"Doing something positive, you get to meet new people you know, and getting to see where they come from and how they got there, you know? And we try to help them,” said Brown.

They say the demand is consistent, saying the most people who have stayed at the shelter since the season kicked off is 25.

The warming shelter is open nightly from 7 p.m. from 7 a.m. It's one of 24 open in the state right now, according to United Way.

“It doesn't matter what time you come, we don't turn nobody away,” said Brown.

Statewide, a legislative report shows there are 3,410 people experiencing homelessness in Connecticut this year, a number that has increased 10 percent since last year.

“When we serve lunch at Mercy, there are people who live in the facility, but there are also people who walk in, and that is a large number of people,” said Aida Mansoor, of the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut.

The Muslim Coalition of Connecticut has been serving around 100 meals every Saturday at Mercy Housing and Shelter in Hartford.

She says now that it's cold out, they just distributed 140 bags of winter gear to people in the community.

Now that it’s the season of giving, she encourages anyone to take what you need, and volunteer if you can.

“I think it's a great way to build bridges and community,” said Mansoor.