It was in the low 40s early Sunday when a member of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension hurried toward the front entrance of the Chautauqua Place building in Bradford to place flowers in the sanctuary before the 8 a.m. service.

A glance to her right, however, stopped her in her tracks. Lying on the cold concrete of the covered side entrance to the church was a woman in a sleeping bag.

The woman immediately started gathering up her belongings, apologizing to the church member and stating she would leave. The church member and a deacon at Ascension, at much urging, convinced the woman to at least come inside to warm up before leaving to find her next shelter — and to have something to eat and drink.

The woman, homeless, told the two church members that she had slept in various areas of town, and had been ushered out of some public places by police. Some people had even suggested that she should sleep in the woods, but she said she wouldn’t do that out of fear for her safety.

Following the conversation, the woman got up to leave and told the church members she would try to return for coffee hour following Sunday services. It was no surprise to those involved that she didn’t show. The woman also said she would reach out to one member of the church for additional help this week.

By the end of the morning service, the story had worked its way through the congregation, as well as to the Sunday school children, who like their elders, were concerned over the woman’s plight.

For all of us, it was an up-close look at the underside of our communities that many choose to believe doesn’t exist. Officials at a couple of non-profit agencies in the area said the situation at this one church was not an isolated incident — homelessness has been increasing and happening more frequently as of late.

At the YWCA Bradford, Robbin Puvel, manager of the homeless shelter, said the issue with the homeless in town is “maxed out” as there is no place at present to house this underground population. By “maxed out,” she meant the YW and ministries such as Destinations Bradford have no more vouchers to give.

“All I can do right now is give them sleeping bags and tents because we are maxed out, everywhere is maxed out,” Puvel continued. “I have no idea where it all happened from. Last month we had 27 or 28 on the streets. Now we have 19.”

Puvel said the shelter had previously provided vouchers for hotel lodging to the homeless, thanks to funding from agencies such as the United Way of the Bradford Area. She said that changed in August when the community saw a large spike in the homeless population, which used up those precious vouchers.

Puvel said they now strongly urge people to “couch surf” with friends or relatives until the agency can provide shelter for them. She said this is the only option left as the waiting list for the homeless shelter, which has 22 beds, has had as many as 50 people at a time.

Puvel said those with tents often pitch them outside of the city limits along Tunungwant Creek, or in the hills surrounding the community. Some sleep in their cars.

“You have no idea how many nights I’ve gone home and haven’t been able to sleep because I can’t figure out what to do,” Puvel admitted. “But that’s my calling and that’s what I do.”

Puvel said the YW at 24 W. Corydon St., as well as Destinations Bradford at 1 Main St., are in constant need of monetary donations to purchase more of the hotel vouchers. Both organizations also need non-perishable food and new or gently used winter outerwear, blankets and sleeping bags to provide to those who are living outside.

The homeless population is also a constant challenge across the state line at non-profit organizations that include Genesis House in Olean, N.Y.

Linore Lounsbury, executive director of the homeless shelter, said the organization “always has more than we can handle.”

Lounsbury said an interesting change in demographics is that Genesis House has seen more single men with children seeking help.

“This last month, we’ve had three men with families,” Lounsbury stated. “I don’t know if that is going to be a long-term trend or not.”

Lounsbury said she was also contacted by Olean General Hospital personnel this past weekend, who told her they had an individual at the emergency department who had been found sleeping in a car.

Lounsbury said the shelter also has a regular waiting list and noted the homeless and needy have already stopped by for winter coats. Consequently, the shelter welcomes new or gently-used coats, jackets and other winter clothing, as well as non-perishable food and toiletries. Genesis House welcomes funds or items mailed or dropped off at 107 S. Barry St.

Lounsbury agreed that many residents in the region don’t believe the homeless issue exists in our small communities.

Rest assured, it does — and it may even show up at your place of worship.

(Kate Day Sager is a reporter for Bradford Publishing Co., covering both the Bradford and Olean areas. Her email is kates_th@yahoo.com.)