Emergency Shelter Program
ECHOS’ Emergency Shelter Programs provide clients with an overnight stay for those experiencing street-level homelessness or urgent need.
The ECHOS Emergency Shelter is a low-barrier facility that provides immediate, overnight accommodation for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, with the capacity to serve 42 individuals, including four family rooms.
Our Emergency Shelter is an accessible facility that offers immediate, overnight housing for individuals and families facing homelessness. Each night, our committed ECHOS staff, along with numerous volunteers, come together to create a warm and safe environment for those in need. This shelter acts as an essential safety net, ensuring that no one has to face the risks and unpredictability of sleeping on the streets during the severe winter months.
Emergency Shelter Services
The Emergency Shelter provides comprehensive support with the help of dedicated staff members and volunteers, ensuring that the immediate needs of our guests are met. By addressing these immediate needs, we enable our neighbors to focus on achieving long-term stability. Partnerships with community organizations such as Blueprints for Addiction Recovery and Lancaster EMS enhance our ability to offer robust services, aligning with our comprehensive case management approach.
The shelter includes essential amenities like showers, laundry facilities, and a full kitchen where guests are served hot meals and breakfast. Our staff delivers intensive case management focused on holistic care, assisting guests with goal setting and accessing additional resources to aid in their transition to more stable living conditions by our full-time shelter case advocate who continues care with clients even after the emergency shelter has closed. This integrated approach ensures that while we meet the urgent needs of our neighbors, we are also setting the groundwork for their sustainable future.
IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE?
ECHOS Emergency Shelter is open and operating from December 8, 2025, to April 10, 2026. Prescreening and intake for ECHOS Emergency Shelter (EES) will only be offered during business hours. If you arrive during EES opening hours or after intake hours, you will be turned away and must return the next morning for intake.
Intake can be scheduled up to a week before shelter is officially open. Schedule today through the appointment scheduler or by calling our office at 717-361-0740.
How to Access Shelter:
New Guest Intake Hours:
Monday-Thursday 9:00am - 3:00pm
Guests who have completed the prescreening/intake process may check-in starting at 6:30pm Monday-Sunday and guests must check out from shelter by 8:00am Monday-Sunday.
To be eligible for ECHOS Emergency Shelter you must:
Have a connection to Elizabethtown, Bainbridge, Rheems, Mount Joy, Marietta, or Maytown communities (i.e. employment in service areas, recent housing in service area, direct support in service area, families with children in Elizabethtown or Donegal School Districts)
Able to complete activities of daily living (ALDs)
Not a Megan’s Law offender
No criminal background suggesting a potential threat to others
Additional Information for Guests:
WANT TO MAKE AN IMPACT?
ECHOS started in 2016 to address homelessness in Elizabethtown and has grown into a nonprofit serving over 400 households annually across Northwest Lancaster County. Through housing programs, eviction prevention, and emergency shelter, we empower families facing housing instability.
Volunteers are essential to our mission. Whether helping in shelters, supporting programs, or assisting at events, your time makes a real difference.
Join us in building a stronger community.
Contact us today!
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