As the season changes, a local non-profit dedicated to helping the homeless is preparing for the upcoming winter.

Community Shelter Service's emergency shelter is constantly at maximum capacity. But there are several initiatives now in the works to help out families in need.

Members of the Erie Elks Lodge 67 presented Community Shelter Services with a $2,500 check to help the non-profit out with its mission on Tuesday. 

The organization currently provides services to nearly 350 homeless people every day. As winter approaches, the non-profit is getting ready to open an additional five tiny homes, bringing the total to nine. Each home can shelter up to six people.

The shelter also recently launched the Kiwanis Caring Kitchen, which provides three meals a day to hundreds of people in need.

Last April, a fire broke out in All An Act Theater, which is located inside the shelter. Executive Director Diane Lazette tells Erie News Now they have wrapped up with the mitigation process and will now begin rebuilding.

"Winter is facing us. We have a greater need every night here. We're seeing more and more youth, teens that need a place," said Lazette. "We're seeing more families. We're seeing more dads with their kids and being able to house them and not having to turn people away because of new partnerships. Giving us $2,500 goes a long way here."

Lazette expects the theater rebuild to take up to a year to complete.