BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Code Blue collaborative effort works to make sure everyone can come inside on Buffalo's coldest nights.
Thursday was the third consecutive night temperatures required Buffalo’s “Code Blue” declaration, and once again, beds are filling up at St. Luke’s.
"Since we're starting the season, each night has gotten a little greater,” said Drew Bernstein, Code Blue coordinator.
“We started with 18 people here, last night was 32, tonight we have the full capacity of 50 beds ready, and I expect them all to be filled.”
St. Luke's, along with Harbor House and the Matt Urban Hope House, has opened its doors at 8 p.m. each night. For Buffalo's homeless, it's one of their only overnight options to escape the cold.
"There's really nowhere else to go,” said Michael Patrick, a man who told Channel 2 he’s working on getting back on his feet. “So yeah, this place is definitely a godsend, for real.”
Bernstein said a typical night for visitors includes a hot meal and a bed.
"We try to keep it quiet, we try to keep in clean, we try to keep in comfortable,” he said. "It's very important for us that everyone have as comfortable an experience during a Code Blue evening as possible.”
The kitchen stays open until midnight since people will trickle in throughout the night.
A TV provides some entertainment, and the lights dim down to help people get to sleep.
The room is a warm, finished basement. It’s currently decorated for Christmas.
Patrick said he’s thankful to spend the night at St. Luke’s instead of outside.
"It is...it is just horrible. You got to sleep outside, and it is very, very torturously cold,” Patrick said.
He said the problem with sleeping on a bench is that police may ask him to leave, and he doesn’t want to enter an abandoned house because he could get arrested.
St. Luke’s was his safest, legal option.
Not all of the visitors are homeless. Bernstein, who is also a missionary, said many people have homes, but do not have heat. He said one night of bitter cold is one thing, but three sustained nights gets hard to deal with, and that’s when the number of people seeking shelter will dramatically increase.
“That's why Code Blue is so important. Particularly when you have a front like this, where you have several nights in a row,” said Bernstein. “The need always increases as more and more people realize where they are isn’t comfortable or safe enough."
Bernstein wants to remind Western New Yorkers that you can find out if it’s a Code Blue night by calling 211.
Also, the NFTA partnered with the warming shelters to provide free rides to those who are heading to any of the locations. Bernstein said all anyone has to do is tell and NFTA driver they are heading to Code Blue, and the driver will help get them on a route to be dropped off in front of St. Luke’s or the Matt Urban Hope center.