The Erie County Home Team’s Lived Experience Committee is organizing a community-wide Christmas Clothing Drive to help individuals experiencing homelessness stay warm during the harsh winter months. The event will take place on Friday, Dec. 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Perry Square West by the stage.
The drive aims to collect essential winter clothing and cold-weather gear, which will be distributed directly to individuals staying at Our Neighbors’ Place Seasonal Overflow Shelter, operated by Erie United Methodist Alliance (EUMA). This initiative ensures that those facing severe winter conditions have access to warm, durable clothing when they need it most.
“Winter is the hardest time of year for anyone living outside or struggling to find safe shelter,” said representatives from the Lived Experience Committee. “These items can make the difference between cold discomfort and safety, warmth, and dignity.”
Community members are encouraged to donate new or gently used, coats & jackets, sweaters, hats & gloves, scarves, blankets, and other winter-weather essentials
The Lived Experience Committee is a subcommittee of the Erie County Home Team dedicated to amplifying the voices of individuals who have personally experienced homelessness. Members provide valuable insight to improve policies, programs, and outreach efforts across the county’s homelessness response system.
Our Neighbors’ Place is EUMA’s seasonal overflow shelter that offers safe, warm overnight accommodations during the winter months for individuals experiencing homelessness.
The Erie County Home Team, in partnership with local organizations, will host the 2025 Erie County Homeless Memorial on Friday, December 19, at 12:00 p.m. in Perry Square of downtown Erie.
This annual event coincides with National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, observed on the winter solstice—the shortest day and longest night of the year. The memorial serves as a solemn occasion to honor community members who died while experiencing homelessness and to call for renewed efforts to prevent such tragedies.
During the ceremony, organizers will read aloud the names of more than 15 individuals who passed away this year while unhoused or living in unstable housing situations in Erie County. Community members, service providers, faith leaders, and local officials are invited to attend, reflect, and recommit to ensuring that everyone in Erie County has a safe place to call home.
“For many of the people we honor at this memorial, this may be the only service ever held in their name,” said Katie Peppers, Erie County Home Team Board Member. “We gather to say that their lives mattered—and that no one in our community should die without a home.”
On any given night, more than 350 people in Erie County experience homelessness, whether in emergency shelters, doubled up on couches, living in unsafe or substandard conditions, or sleeping outside in the elements. The memorial shines a light on these realities while recognizing the resilience, dignity, and humanity of those with lived experience.
The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to dress warmly, as the gathering will be held outdoors. Community members may also bring signs, flowers, or battery-operated candles as symbols of remembrance.