Code Purple volunteer info session set Nov. 11 in Lewes

The winter season is one of the most stressful and dangerous for people living without shelter.

More volunteers are needed for Code Purple at the Cape, formerly known as Code Purple at St. Jude the Apostle, as it gears up again to provide temporary overnight accommodations for men at St. Jude and women at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior.

Anyone interested in joining the effort to support some of the most vulnerable people in the community can learn more during a volunteer information session hosted by Code Purple at the Cape from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 11, at St. Jude the Apostle Parish Life Center, 152 Tulip Drive, Lewes.

During the 2023-24 season, Code Purple at the Cape provided a safe, warm place to sleep for more than 90 people. However, the number of unsheltered people in the Cape Region continues to grow, and Code Purple at the Cape cannot achieve its mission without more caring people willing to give their time to help others.

The 2024-25 season will begins Sunday, Dec. 1, and end Saturday, March 15.

Code Purple is a ministry of Love INC of Seaford. The vision of Code Purple at the Cape is to help some of the most vulnerable people in the community by providing solutions to meet their everyday needs and serve as a bridge to self-sufficiency by linking them to partners and area stakeholders that focus on resources to overcome barriers to jobs, mental health, wellness and housing.

Code Purple has operated in the Cape Region for many years. In 2022, its men’s-only shelter moved from the former Delaware State Police Troop 7 facility to the Parish Life Center at St. Jude the Apostle Church in Lewes. That year, with the support of over 85 volunteers, team members hosted more than 40 men. On average, they sheltered close to a dozen men every night for more than 100 consecutive nights.

Beginning in 2023-24, the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Rehoboth Beach joined Code Purple at the Cape to offer unsheltered women respite from the cold. In its first year, the women’s facility welcomed an average of eight guests per night and routinely reached a maximum occupancy of 14 overnight guests. Last season, its volunteer base grew more than 50%, and its team hosted over 90 guests throughout the winter season across both shelters.

For more information, email codepurple@stjudelewes.org.