Helping hands: Out of the Cold’s ShelterFest returns for 4 days this summer

Out of the Cold: Centre County is excited to announce the return of ShelterFest, a four-day community fundraising event dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Centre County. The event will take place Aug. 6-9 and will feature live music, community engagement and opportunities for residents to learn more about homelessness and how they can make a difference.

ShelterFest was created to bring the community together around a shared goal: ensuring that everyone has access to safe shelter, support and hope. Funds raised during the event will directly benefit Out of the Cold: Centre County, the area’s only low-barrier homeless shelter.

Since opening its doors, Out of the Cold has provided shelter, meals, case management, transportation assistance, housing navigation, life skills programming, and other supportive services to individuals facing homelessness. Each year, the organization serves approximately 200 individuals and families, helping them overcome barriers and move toward stable housing. In addition to year-round shelter services, Out of the Cold operates Centre County’s Code Blue Shelter program during periods of dangerously cold weather. This past winter alone, the Code Blue Shelter was open for 87 nights and provided life-saving refuge to 58 unique individuals who otherwise may have had nowhere safe to go.

ShelterFest will be hosted at several local venues and bands that have generously partnered with Out of the Cold to support the event. The schedule includes:

• Aug. 6: 814 Cidery, 5-8 p.m. Featuring performances by Big Red, Zoe Makenna and Circle Squared • Aug. 7: Group Therapy will take the stage at University Wine Company from 6-8 p.m. • Aug. 8: Boal City Brewing, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Music throughout the day will be provided by Alyn and Audrey Shaner, Overead, Acoustic Artifacts, Biscuit Jam, Free Range, Granma Ben and Urban Fusion. • Aug. 9: Axemann Brewery, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Performances by Forsaken, Bill Strayer and Kevin Briggs, Derek Heidel, Eric Ian Farmer and the Coal Aly Band.

Throughout the event, attendees can enjoy live music from talented local performers while learning more about the challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness in our community. ShelterFest is designed not only to raise funds but also to raise awareness and foster meaningful conversations about housing insecurity in Centre County.

Community members are encouraged to attend one or all four days of ShelterFest. Whether through donations, volunteering, or simply showing up to support the event, everyone can play a role in helping ensure that homelessness in Centre County becomes rare, brief and one-time.

For more information about ShelterFest or Out of the Cold: Centre County, visit OOTC’s website or social media pages.

Jordan Veneziano is the executive director of Out of the Cold: Centre County.