[NEWS] One Step Away: Finding warmth in Suburban Station

From One Step Away, via Philly.com:

For Joel, it’s a place to sit. The air from the heaters keeps the walkways warm and free of ice. The wind and snow from the streets are blocked by large, heavy doors. In this weather, the concourses under the city’s central business district become a safe haven from the outside world.

As temperatures slide back into the mid-20s again this month, Philadelphia’s Suburban Station is one of the few places where people experiencing homelessness can take shelter. Accessible 24 hours a day, the network of walkways and waiting areas offers an attractive space for those with nowhere else to go.

Noticing this pattern, homelessness assistance agencies joined together to open a drop-in engagement center called "the Hub of Hope" in the station’s concourses. The hub, which reopened this winter, allows organizations to provide services at a location that is accessible to the people who need them most.

“I like to hang around in Suburban Station,” says Joel, sat on top of a bag of belongings and wrapped in a large padded jacket. “It’s cozy and comfortable down here.”