READING, Pa. – The City of Reading together with Opportunity House and multiple community partners have announced their plans to protect those with no housing during dangerously cold conditions.
The joint Code Blue response is declared when temperatures fall to 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below, including wind chill. During these periods, agencies across Berks County work together to ensure that individuals without housing have access to safe, warm places to stay.
Based on 2024 data from the 211 system, approximately 74% of all housing and unhoused assistance requests in Berks County originated from Reading ZIP codes. With countywide demand estimated at 160 Code Blue beds, the City of Reading prioritized securing 100–120 beds within the city to meet the greatest concentration of need.
“This is not new work for Reading,” said Mayor Eddie Morán. “We have always understood that addressing the needs of unhoused individuals, especially during life-threatening weather, is a shared responsibility. The city, Opportunity House, the county, and our nonprofit partners have a long history of working together, and this year is no different. When temperatures drop, our priority is simple: make sure people are safe.”
For single adult males, Hope Rescue Mission, located at 645 North 6th Street, has offered the use of its chapel and agreed to lower barriers to meet urgent needs. This portion of the Code Blue response will be funded entirely by the City of Reading.
Opportunity House will be providing shelter for single adult females at its main campus, allowing for the accommodation of up to 50 single women. This operation will be funded through a collaborative mix of support from the City of Reading, Wyomissing Foundation, Janssen Foundation, United Way, and Berks County.
“At Opportunity House, we serve unhoused individuals not only from the City of Reading, but from across Berks County and the surrounding areas,” said Alyssa Bushkie, CEO of Opportunity House. “The challenges facing people without housing do not stop at municipal boundaries, and neither does our commitment. This Code Blue response reflects what is possible when local government, nonprofits, and funders work together to meet people where they are and ensure their safety during extreme conditions.”
In addition to providing Code Blue assistance for single females, Opportunity House can also accommodate nine families at 325 South 12th Street and 1116 North Front Street.
The Berks Coalition to End Homelessness (BCEH) has also identified several churches willing to host individual families, allowing for an estimated three to five additional families to be sheltered during Code Blue activations.
“Our community is strongest when we work together,” Mayor Morán added. “This effort reflects our shared values—compassion, dignity, and responsibility—and our continued commitment to protecting our most vulnerable neighbors.”
For more information about Code Blue activation or available resources, residents are encouraged to call 211.