The outbreak of the coronavirus has had major inpact on many people. Some of the people in the most need during this time are the homeless, especially those in cities like Philadelphia. 

According to the Office of Homeless Services for the City of Philadelphia, “around 5,700 are considered to be homeless in the city, which includes about 950 who are unsheltered” (http://philadelphiaofficeofhomelessservices.org/know-homelessness/). That is over 5,000 people in Philadelphia city alone that are in need of shelter, food, medical help, and more, during this pandemic.

Regina Repici, former resident of Philadelphia, feels that the homeless are extremely vulnerable during this time. “The homeless situation due to COVID-19 is dangerously dire, it is difficult to keep the homeless quarantined and safe,” Repici said. 

One organization that is taking action to help this problem is the Sunday LOVE Project, an organization that gives food to the homeless in Philadelphia. Margaux Murphy, the director of Sunday LOVE Project, has seen the way the homeless have been affected firsthand. “We have seen shelters with more limited hours and space, nowhere for the homeless to go during the day, no protection from the weather’s elements,” Murphy said.

In addition to this, many people have lost their jobs and are struggling financially. “The Sunday LOVE Project has seen a substantial uptick in food needs since COVID-19 has hit. We are no longer serving only the homeless and food insecure, but also now serving those in the community who have lost their jobs and cannot afford to feed their families,” Murphy said.

At times like this, we cannot forget about those who are in need of food and shelter she said, “The community can help the problem by participating in sandwich drives, collections of blankets for any charity on the front lines, and obviously donating financially to a charity in their area.” Local charitable organizations should consider investing in a website with the right charity web design to reach a wider audience online.

 For more information on this organization and how you can help, visit https://sundaylove.org/.