It’s an issue impacting just about every community across New York. Homelessness is on the rise, and shelters like the Volunteers of America in Binghamton are being forced to step up.

Full dining rooms at shelters statewide have become commonplace, with both short-term and long-term residents seeking much-needed food. Sometimes the first step in turning their life around starts with a good meal.

"This is our kitchen area,” Davis said. This is where we prep and serve meals for our shelter side. We serve roughly 40 meals a day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner.”

Alicia Davis serves as the director of the Binghamton shelter, which has been at capacity, nearly every day for the past few years. Along with temporary shelter, it also provides men with long-term solutions, like income-based apartments. And the need is bigger than it’s ever been.

“Housing in general is definitely a crisis,” Davis said. “I think we've all have experienced that, especially after COVID with surging housing prices, lack of available rentals, surging rental prices. So especially if you're lower income or if you're struggling with any needs as far as mental health or addiction.”

Over the years, Davis has seen it all and says you never know who might walk through her doors.

"I've been doing this for probably 12 years now. And it never ceases to amaze me how homelessness really, truly can affect anybody and everybody,” Davis said.

Last year, a record 22,720 adults slept in shelters each night across the state. And while everyone she touches leaves an impact, Davis remembers one man’s story and how the VOA changed his life.

"Last year he found me and I don’t work where he knew me,” Davis said. “He found me because I was his 10-year sober anniversary and he wanted to celebrate his 10-year anniversary with me because him being sober started with me. I'm like, OK, tears, and I'm not an emotional person, but it was pretty amazing. He's like, I'm sober because of the services and your support.”