An emergency shelter in Lehighton is open 24 hours a day, even on days when the temperatures don’t go above freezing.

Peaceful Knights Homeless Shelters, at 215 N. First St., offers an emergency shelter for men that is open 365 nights a year.

It’s open from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m., except for when running cold blue, or in the summer when temperatures get above 90, then they’re open 24 hours as well.

They also offer a men’s transitional living program where once they are approved, men can live there until they find a job, save up money and move out on their own.

Aggie Schoenberger, director, said the amount of people it serves varies each night, with the highest to date being seven to eight.

“We’re consistent,” Schoenberger said. “We have our emergency shelter open 24 hours a day on days when the temperatures aren’t going above freezing.”

Schoenberger, who founded Peaceful Knights Homeless Shelters in 2007, explained the raw emotions displayed by the men who are thankful to have shelter.

“They are incredibly moved,” she said. “They have a place to hang out, have food, shelter, a safe warm place to sleep.”

Schoenberger said they can apply for transitional living at peacefulknights.org.

She said Peaceful Knights also has a Women’s Transitional Living Program up and running a few doors down on First Street.

“There’s also a space we’re preparing for a women’s emergency shelter,” Schoenberger said. “We need more donations to get that done.”

Schoenberger said a list of donations of items they can use is on their website.

“Everyone who comes to our shelters, we encourage them to work toward a plan to get out of homelessness,” she said.

Schoenberger said people often confuse the requirements for the two different shelters.

For the emergency shelter, there are no requirements; they merely ask for a form of ID, but if not, an individual’s name and date of birth. For the Transitional Living Program, an individual has to be able to work 40 hours per week and pass a drug test, as there are rules and requirements for that program.

Schoenberger noted that next year, they’ll be celebrating their 20th anniversary.

“Last year we helped over 110 people, the year before that was over 100,” she said. “We’ve been averaging 110 over the last few years.”