SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — It’s been over a week since the NEPA Youth Shelter opened its doors at 896 Providence Road, right down the street from Scranton High School. And already, the center is seeing about 50 students walk in after class every day.

“There is a big need for this, and I think that starts with the fact that it gives kids a place to go. It’s a safe place for them. It allows them to kind of socialize with their friends, and find activities to do, and it gets them off the street. It also helps alleviate some of that food insecurity that’s happening,” said John Rosengrant, executive director.

The shelter offers emergency housing and services to unaccompanied youth ages 14 through high school graduation, including food, clothing, educational support, and counseling.

But the demand for food has grown even more urgent this week. This comes after officials announced that SNAP benefits, which help feed more than two million Pennsylvanians, won’t be distributed in November until the federal government reopens. 35% of SNAP recipients are under the age 18.

“Even though these kids might not be directly receiving those food stamps, they’re coming from families that may be, so if we could do a little bit to help alleviate some of that and make sure that the kids we see are nourished we have a food pantry, if any kids are in need of taking food home, we can get in there and help them fill up a bag to take home as well,” said Rosengrant.

The nonprofit relies entirely on grants and community donations to stay open. Staff say they’re especially in need of snacks, drinks, and hot meal donations.

Even while waiting for their new building’s construction to finish, the shelter saw students in the parking lot, helping them gauge how much foot traffic to expect.

“We were setting up tables out in the parking lot during construction when the school year started. And we were seeing probably 50 to 60 kids a day coming by, grabbing snacks and water. We kind of figured that we were going to be seeing about the same kind of traffic,” said Rosengrant.

The shelter’s new space also gives teens a place to unwind with a basketball hoop, art corner, PlayStation, and even recording studio.

They also plan to host a housewarming fundraiser on November 15th, with tickets and sponsorships available to help support their work.

For more information on how to donate or get involved with the NEPA Youth Shelter, you can visit their website or social media pages.