We will be closed for the first night on Monday 3/19! Temperatures will be above 32 degrees for the first time since the 15th. Please pray for our guests.

Our On Call status starts tomorrow night through the end of March.

Temperatures will be in the 20s Friday night through Sunday night so we are opening our doors! Please see the calendar for what spots are available to help us serve on those nights!

OPEN in Milford, Seaford, and Bridgeville (for women and children).

March 15th is our last guaranteed night open! After that, we will only open if the temperatures fall below 32 degrees! Our sign up calendar is labeled ON CALL from March 16th through March 31st. You can sign up for any of those that you are still available to help. We cancel the days ahead if we see the temps will be above 32 and you will receive an email from the calendar informing you of the cancellation. Please continue to keep informed about the last half of March and help us finish the season well.

It is looking like we will be open on Friday, March 16th. It looks like we need all spots filled. Check out the calendar to see where you can help!

Here is the direct link needed to sign up on the calendar. http://signup.com/go/kpFDneK

Due to the frigid daytime temperatures, Code Purple Sussex County will keep our doors open during the day this weekend!

St. Luke’s will stay open for daytime hours on Saturday (1/6) and Sunday (1/7). The Parish Hall is located at 202 N. North Street, Seaford, DE 19973.

Milford Avenue Methodist is open today (1/5) for daytime hours. They will also be open during the day on Saturday (1/6) and Sunday (1/7). They are located at 20 N. Church Street, Milford, DE 19963.

Please email us at codepurplesussexcounty@gmail.com or call 302-519-0024 for more information.

We had the opportunity to speak about Code Purple today on Live! With Walls & Weller. I (Nikki) had a great time participating in the VS segment. Check it out here. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWRDENews%2Fvideos%2F10159680680165632%2F&show_text=0&width=560“>Live! With Walls & Weller. There are so many ways that being the Director of Code Purple has stretched me. If you would have told me six years ago that I would be giving interviews, speaking in churches and various organizations, and running a shelter, I would have laughed. You just never know what God will call you to but when He does, get ready for a great ride. It’s full of blessings as well as trials that forge your faith in the God that provides, protects, loves, and never lets us down.

Let me ask you a question. What do addicts, psychiatric patients, and sex offenders have in common? All three groups are a portion of what makes up our code purple family. These labels don’t always evoke the best thoughts, do they? I see many comments on news stories about “these types of people”. I really try hard not to use labels anymore. Over the last several years of running the shelters, I was fortunate enough to get to know the people behind the labels. Our guests have become my family and they are important. They come in feeling very hopeless and downtrodden. Unfortunately, they also see and hear the comments that are made about them daily and that saddens me. So, when they come in for dinner each night, we speak life and love to them. (Don’t worry, there are also boundaries. ;)) There is no fear here just peace that surpasses all understanding. My prayer is that they always feel compassion and not feel judged after we say, “Come as you are.” We don’t use labels because we do not want their unwise choices or health issues define them. Redemption is available to all! Our guests, our family, are people and they matter to us!

Ephesians 1:7  “In Him , we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”

Come and join us in our ministry. You will be changed forever.

We started the season early this year! Cold temperatures had us open 7 days in November. We have already been open 10 days during the month of  December and will now be open every night until March 15th. The season always starts out with just a few people who need shelter. Maybe ones that have already spent seasons with us or new people that are experiencing homelessness for the first time. As the weather turns colder and nights grow longer our numbers increase at a steady rate. Our guests get referred to us from many different avenues; police officers, probation officers, detoxes, state service centers, social service centers, Homeless Alliance DE, 211, churches, civic organizations, friends, and even family members. Our hotline answers calls 24/7, hoping that even if someone calls in the middle of the night they will be able to find their way into one of our shelters for a good night’s sleep. It is a traumatic experience for anyone that finds themselves without a home. We want to keep them safe from the cold, wind, snow, crime, and any predator waiting to find a vulnerable person to take advantage of for the night. Our guests are from a wide variety of backgrounds and are in all walks of life. Each one is a unique individual that has something to offer society. We hope that when they find themselves in one of our sanctuaries that they can find not only warmth and dinner but peace and love.

Remember that we are an all volunteer run and donation based ministry. We rely on the community to bring in dinner each night. We depend on individuals giving up their time to come in and help with intake, transportation, and staying overnight to ensure everyone’s safety. You could make such a huge difference in someone’s life. Your dinner can feed the body, your donation of gloves can keep the hands warm, your donation of soaps can cleanse the body and your presence with words of encouragement could be a catalyst for someone to take a positive step in their life. Please help us make a transformational difference in our guests’ lives.

Look around on our website to read over the volunteer spots and their descriptions. We have an online volunteer form for you to fill out and it will be emailed to us directly.  There is also a link to our volunteer calendar that makes it super simple to pick any day that works for you. Once you sign up, you will also get helpful email reminders so no one forgets the days that they picked. Thank you for taking the time to read this! If you have any questions, please email us at codepurplesussexcounty@gmail.com.

Thank you so much to all the ones who already volunteer and help us throughout the season. Blessings!

P.S. Look for more updates throughout the season. You can find us on FB at Code Purple Sussex County.

We are opening the following shelters: St. Luke’s Parish Hall, Gateway Fellowship, and Milford Avenue Methodist!

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
202 N. North St.
Seaford, DE 19973
Men only. Check- in 8:30pm. Check-out 7:45am.
Meals provided at The CROSS for dinner at 7:00pm.

Gateway Fellowship
8011 Cannon Road
Bridgeville, DE 19933
Women and children only.
Check-in 8:30 pm. Check-out 7:45am.
Women can meet at The CROSS for dinner at 7:00pm. Transportation will be provided to Gateway at 8:30pm and then back to Seaford in the morning.

The CROSS building is located at 703 East King Street, Seaford, DE 19973.

Avenue United Methodist Church
20 N Church Street
Milford, DE 19963
Men only. Check-in 7:00pm. Check-out 7:00am.
Meals provided on site.

Additional Emergency Shelters

Georgetown Presbyterian, 203 North Bedford in Georgetown – soups, snacks, microwave available. Check-in on Friday is 8pm-8:30pm. Check-in on Saturday is 11pm-11:30pm. Check-in on Sunday is 8pm-8:30pm. Anyone with children must call in advance. 302-344-1912

Any further questions can be emailed to codepurplesussexcounty@gmail.com or call the hotline at 302-519-0024.

We are opening the following shelters:

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
202 N. North St.
Seaford, DE 19973
Men only. Check- in 8:30pm. Check-out 7:45am.
Meals provided at The CROSS for dinner at 7:00pm.

Gateway Fellowship
8011 Cannon Road
Bridgeville, DE 19933
Women and children only.
Check-in 8:30 pm. Check-out 7:45am.
Women can meet at The CROSS for dinner at 7:00pm. Transportation will be provided to Gateway at 8:30pm and then back to Seaford in the morning.

The CROSS building is located at 703 East King Street, Seaford, DE 19973.

Avenue United Methodist Church
20 N Church Street
Milford, DE 19963
Men only. Check-in 7:00pm. Check-out 7:00am.
Meals provided on site.

Georgetown Presbyterian 203 North Bedford in Georgetown – soups, snacks, microwave available. Check-in 7pm-8pm. Families OK but if children place call ahead. 302-344-1912

Any further questions can be emailed to codepurplesussexcounty@gmail.com or call the hotline at 302-519-0024.

We are opening the following shelters:

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
202 N. North St.
Seaford, DE 19973
Men only. Check- in 8:30pm. Check-out 7:45am.
Meals provided at The CROSS for dinner at 7:00pm.

Gateway Fellowship
8011 Cannon Road
Bridgeville, DE 19933
Women and children only.
Check-in 8:30 pm. Check-out 7:45am.
Women can meet at The CROSS for dinner at 7:00pm. Transportation will be provided to Gateway at 8:30pm and then back to Seaford in the morning.

The CROSS building is located at 703 East King Street, Seaford, DE 19973.

Avenue United Methodist Church
20 N Church Street
Milford, DE 19963
Men only. Check-in 7:00pm. Check-out 7:00am.
Meals provided on site.

Any further questions can be emailed to codepurplesussexcounty@gmail.com or call the hotline at 302-519-0024.