By Dervin Brown | Program Director, UPO's Shelter Hotline Program
On any given night in Washington, DC there are 3,782 single people and 440 families (with 1,356 adults and children) who are experiencing homelessness. UPO’s Shelter Hotline is the hub and primary gateway for any of these people who seek shelter and homeless services, including during severe weather conditions. Our outreach workers travel throughout the city to protect the health of people living on our streets and help get them the services they need.
Over the last several months, the District experienced periods of unusually hot temperatures, which triggered citywide heat emergency alerts for several weeks. During these times, the Shelter Hotline Team swung into action to ensure the safety of vulnerable people who were unsheltered.
Our Call Center dispatchers responded to hundreds of calls daily from customers seeking help and resources. Shelter Hotline drivers canvassed the city relentlessly, offering free transportation to shelters/safe spaces and engaging in outreach activities, including wellness checks of vulnerable people and distributing life-sustaining items such as food and cool beverages. People living on the streets were immensely thankful for the meals we were able to give them. However, food donations have been very limited recently and food insecurity remains a critical issue which is powerfully felt among people experiencing homelessness.
In the wake of the President’s Executive Order to clear out encampments across the city, Shelter Hotline was called on by DC’s Office of the Mayor and Department of Human Services to extend our hours of operation to accommodate people who wanted to go to shelters. The Shelter Hotline Team was responsive, providing additional support to people during this time.
Our Shelter Hotline Youth Transportation Initiative continues to be a unique component of the services we provide to our community. The initiative offers free daily round-trip transportation to youth (ages 18-24) from shelter to youth-specific daytime enrichment programs, which provide an alternative to engagement in negative activities on the streets. This is one way that Shelter Hotline is an integral part of a broader citywide continuum of care working together to address youth violence, crimes and promote healthy options for young people.
As we reach the end of summer, Shelter Hotline is preparing for “Hypothermia Season” (Nov. 1, 2025 – April 15, 2026). During the winter months, there is always an overwhelming demand for life-sustaining items such as blankets, socks, hats, gloves, long underwear, etc., to meet the need. And we will be there every day to protect and help.
UPO Shelter Hotline Statistics and Impact – October 2024-August 2025:
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