SYRACUSE -- A new census report out shows the poverty rate jumped to hits highest level in nearly 15 years. That's reflected locally, the need at the Rescue Mission in Syracuse is higher than ever.
In the first half of this year, the number of people coming to the Rescue Mission for whatever reason went up 17 percent from that same time last year. More people are also coming in to take advantage of day programs, that's up 29 percent from last year.
They have been seeing need around the clock, and that's with the better weather. As it gets colder, officials at the Rescue Mission are preparing for more people to come in. All the beds in the shelter were filled Wednesday night.
"We served 688 meals an average every single day in August, that's high," said Paul LaDolce, communications director at the Rescue Mission. "The type of people that are coming in are people that have their own place but are coming here for a meal a day or meal a week or even more. It's helping to stretch their budget. So we have new people coming and we have familiar faces coming more often."
The Rescue Mission relies on donations. Officials there know everyone is struggling including those who donate so they have been making those donations stretch and say they appreciate anything people can give.
