There are many things wrong with Jamestown, but a lack of compassionate residents isn’t one of them.

Throughout the winter, community residents led by Diana Scott have been buying meals for the homeless spending the night at the ROME Code Blue shelter on Washington Street. Others have been donating clothing or hygienic items. Recently, a group named El Equipo held its own event at Joy Fellowship Church before making donations at shelters throughout the city. Conduit has continued its meals in Brooklyn Square on Sundays. The St. Susan Center remains as busy as ever. Community Helping Hands is working through a construction project to help provide usable items to those who need them.

These people aren’t seeking headlines. They never sent a news release. They’ve gone about their work using social media to help organize and connect people, but they’ve shown up when no cameras or microphones are present.

All told, it’s amazing what the community has done this winter to support the homeless and the non-profit organizations that are working to improve the situation. El Equipo’s recent “Baby It’s Cold Outside” event at Joy Fellowship Church included the group handing out gathered donations of warm clothes, hygiene products and warm meals to those in need before spreading to homeless shelters, including the UCAN City Mission men’s shelter on First Street, women’s shelter on Lafayette Street and the warming shelter on Washington Street.

It’s the most recent, but by far not the only, noteworthy effort to take place this winter. As a community it’s important to help the homeless and others in need. But it is also important to do it the right way. Funneling donations to shelters, where the homeless have access to social services organizations and other agencies is important, in our opinion. Those organizations need the community’s help – and well-meaning Jamestown-area residents have stepped up throughout the winter.