As winter moves into Central Oregon, and forecasts call for more wet and cold weather in the coming days, local shelters are experiencing a surge in demand from homeless residents who need to get out of the elements.

The National Weather Service office in Pendleton has forecast overnight low temperatures in the teens and 20s, along with a chance for snow, every day through Saturday night. But most area shelters are already at or close to hitting capacity.

Dave Notari, director of development at Shepherd’s House Ministries, said its emergency shelter at 275 Second St. in Bend, which opened in early November, is hosting an average of 100 to 110 people. But cold nights have sent as many as 130 people to the shelter, he said.

“We are seeing a surge in need in the community, and that has been a building process ever since the weather started to change around 3½ weeks ago,” Notari said Wednesday. “We don’t turn anybody away, but we do know that we skirt capacity regularly. We are there to meet those needs, but we also recognize that if the need continues on the same trajectory that we will be in need of services that we currently don’t have available.”

Notari said the Shepherd’s House shelter, which is open year-round and takes in men, women and children, is the only low-barrier shelter in the area. For people who cannot meet the criteria to go to a high-barrier shelter, which means guests must remain clean and sober, Shepherd’s House will take them.

Shepherd’s House also has a men’s center at 1854 NE Division St. in Bend with a capacity of 30 people. The current surge forced Shepherd’s House to move some individuals from its main shelter to its men’s center, Notari said.

Notari said Shepherd’s House could really use winter socks, gloves, hats and hand warmers, and all donations can be dropped off at the shelter on Division Street between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. every day except Sunday.

The nonprofit also has a low-barrier shelter in Redmond, which is nearing capacity, Notari said.

John Lodise, director of emergency services at Shepherd’s House Ministries, said the Redmond shelter located in Mountain View Fellowship Church has also recently experienced a surge in the last few days.

Its capacity is 30 people, and on Tuesday night 28 people were at the shelter, the highest number seen so far this season.

“Precipitation always adds numbers because more people can take a drier cold night than they can take a wet cold night,” Lodise said, ”because the wetness really takes the warmth out of your body and makes it really hard to stay out for long periods of time.”

The shelter in Redmond opened on Nov. 15 and will remain open every night from 6 p.m. until 7 a.m. until March 15, Lodise said. The shelter will remain open longer if cold weather persists.

Kim Fischbach, director of philanthropy at Bethlehem Inn, also said she has seen an increased need at the organization’s shelters in both Bend and Redmond.

“With the weather the way it is, not just the cold, but the wet, the precipitation, and the snowfall, we’ve got a lot of individuals who are seeking shelter at this point,” Fischbach said.

In Bend, Bethlehem Inn located 3705 N. U.S. Highway 97 is a high-barrier shelter and has the capacity to shelter 140 people. In Redmond, the shelter has room for 88 people, she said.

“We are close to capacity here. We’ve got some space up in Redmond, so we do have room, but as the weather progressively changes in the next 24 hours I am guessing that is going to change pretty quickly,” Fischbach said Wednesday.

Fischbach said the organization could use some warm, waterproof gloves, ice melt to prevent slipping at the shelter and food items for lunch and dinners and staples such as coffee. Donations can be dropped off at the shelters in Bend and Redmond. Financial donations are also welcome, she added.

Tony Mitchell, executive director at Jefferson County Faith Based Network, said the winter shelter in Madras has also been seeing consistent numbers this year.

“Our capacity is getting well used this year,” Mitchell said. “This year we are at probably 80% to 100% capacity on any given night.”

Since the shelter opened earlier this month, it has hosted 30 different people, Mitchell said. The shelter, a low barrier shelter open during the winter months, has 15 beds. He said the shelter consistently gets 12 to 15 people staying overnight on any given night.

Mitchell said he believes the numbers they are seeing are higher than in previous years.

“To make a long story short, our capacity is significantly higher, maybe, consistently higher,” Mitchell said.

As far as donations, Mitchell said the shelter could use more winter gear, but said there is also a large need for footwear, such as boots. Jeans, sweatshirts, sweaters and hygiene supplies would also be greatly appreciated at this time.