Rescue Mission reaches out to those in need when frigid weather - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - With wind chills are expected to be well below zero over the next few nights and most of us will be indoors avoiding the cold all together.

But what about those people who have no place to go?

The Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley has a place for people to get out of the cold and enjoy a hot meal. They've been doing it for decades and they hope people will seek out help when they need it.

Executive Director Jim Echement says, "Anyone who finds themselves in a homeless situation and needs help all they need to do is call 211. That will put them in touch with Help Hotline and they will either direct them to here at the Mission and provide transportation or whatever other service they may need as a result of the cold temperatures."

The Mission has 164 beds and right now 110 of them are filled. As the weather gets colder they expect even more people to come in.

Echement says he has seen an increase in the number of people who need their services and it's never the types of people you think. "Most people think of the Rescue Mission as a place for drunks and lazy people. That couldn't be further from the truth. We deal with people who find themselves in a homeless situation from all walks of life. The biggest change in the demographic we're seeing is the younger single parent families, women with children men with children," Echement said.

The Rescue Mission serves over a thousand people a year. It's privately funded and has a $2 million budget.

And even when the temperatures start to rise, the need for the Rescue Mission will always be there, and they hope people who have a little extra will continue to help them provide things for people who have very little.