Many of us have spent more time at home than ever before during the COVID-19 pandemic. But some don’t have the luxury of having a roof over their head.

That’s why, on this Wednesday night, Tiana Minervini and Persephone Naylor are packing up 45 containers of hot meals. The pair is getting ready to hit the streets of Albany to reach out to the homeless.

"People had called and said where they are staying and what they need, so we’re on our way to go visit them," said Minervini, the Joseph’s House associate director of outreach, as she drives down North Pearl Street.

The first stop is on State Street, where food is delivered to a young homeless woman, before dropping off a pair of hot meals at the New York State Museum.

"We go turkey and meatloaf," said Naylor, as she hands out the hot meals.

Then the outreach van travels up Madison Avenue to Washington Park. That’s where Minervini and Naylor met two men who are calling this home for the night. They’re not only delivering food, but also things to keep them warm.

"So I’m grabbing some hats and gloves," said Naylor, as she digs through the back of the van. "He said he didn’t want any, but I want to make sure he is warm enough tonight."

It’s not easy work, but it’s something the two say is needed more now than ever before. According to Minervini, the number of people they help has just about doubled during the pandemic. She says figures including Albany and Rensselaer counties jumped from 487 to 892.

"You get scared for the people," Minervini said. "You fear that they’re going to get sick. These aren’t people that access medical attention."

At their peak, they were assisting more than 60 people a day. Now it’s in the 40s. Naylor has been doing outreach in Albany since June. But she already knows just about everyone on a first-name basis.

"Are you sleeping here tonight?" Naylor asked a man at the corner of Lark Street and Washington Avenue.

Naylor brought him a hot meal, sandwiches, and some warm clothes with the temperature dropping. She says she developed her passion of helping the homeless while attending college in Vermont.

"Just the relationships that develop, and it’s just a population that I want to spend the rest of my life working with," Naylor said.

By 9 p.m., all the hot meals are gone. But they still have sandwiches, snacks, and some bottles of water. So the pair continues its outreach, visiting areas where they may encounter the homeless.

"Oh my god, it’s a mess," said Minervini, checking in on a homeless encampment.

As the night winds down, Minervini and Naylor make a few more stops along Central Avenue. They stop every time they recognize someone to check in and see if they have a place to stay for the night, or if they need food or clothes.

With the cold months on the horizon, the pair knows the need will continue. So they march forward, with the goal of getting these individuals into housing.