TRAVERSE CITY -- As the winter months get closer area homeless shelters prepare for an increase in people turning to their services.

The Goodwill Inn in Traverse City says they're already seeing more people staying at the shelter compared to this time last year.

Safe Harbor a homeless shelter run through area churches says they're preparing to open their doors October 31st.

Both shelters say they're expecting large numbers of individuals and families to turn to them as temperatures continue to drop.
         
"Our average census per night went from about 76 people a night average, we averaged just over 80 people last year and we just finished our fiscal year," says executive director of Goodwill Inn, Cecil McNally.

McNally says the homeless shelter is already seeing an increase of people compared to this time last year.  Plus, as the winter months move closer the inn is preparing for even larger crowds.

"As you hit winter again and the weather gets colder some people who were camping need to come in out of the cold because it's just too cold to stay out...We have a food drive that starts November 12th through the 16th and that's basically to get stocked up in preparation for winter," says McNally.

It's not just the Goodwill Inn that's gearing up for the winter rush but also Safe Harbor, a homeless shelter run through area churches during the winter.

The program which works hand in hand with the Goodwill Inn opens its doors October 31st.

"We've been meeting during the summer to plan out the schedule of churches.  We have our schedules all made out, with the next couple of weeks we have maps that go from church to church," says Safe Harbor volunteer, Tony Nelson.

Safe Harbor shelters are only open during the evening and early morning hours, so Jubilee House a year open year round shelter is able to help out during daytime hours.

Volunteers there say the recent cool weather is already bringing people into the shelter.

"Our during the week numbers are up three to four visitors per day because we're not an over night shelter we tend to see those numbers spread out.  We expect to see more as winter gets worse," says organizer Reverend Daniel Richards.

For a list of area churches that host Safe Harbor you can check out their website: http://www.gtsafeharbor.org/