Simi Valley's Samaritan Center is hoping residents will remember the less fortunate this fall by donating money and goods to help the city's homeless during the year's coldest months.

With the depressed housing and job markets, the center has been seeing more clients walk through its doors looking for assistance. According to Betty Eskey, executive director, 89 new homeless have come to the Samaritan Center for services since the start of 2008.

But as the center's numbers have increased, its funds have slipped.

"There's a definite need here," said Eskey, who noted donations are down about 25 percent over last year. "Current clients are asking and needing more services than they normally ask for. They are needing more case management."

The center helps its clients tackle a myriad of issues, going beyond providing a meal, clean clothes and a place to shower. The center helps the homeless (and near-homeless) take care of legal matters, find a job, apply for Social Security or other benefits, get proper identification and receive medical attention.

But all these services have a cost, Eskey said.

"With case management comes along the expenses of doing the case management, and a majority of that has to do with the transportation to different appointments," she said.

In just the past year, the center has worked hard to improve its ability to handle individual cases, but the center's poor financial state has Eskey worried about the future.

"I'm concerned that if we aren't able to raise the funds, many of the clients will go back into the homeless lifestyle," she said. "Because of the success rate we've seen over the last year, it would be devastating to the clients . . . to stop giving those case management services."

About 80 percent of the clients the center works with have the potential to get out of homelessness, and most are very willing to accept help, Eskey said.

Still, with winter approaching, the center needs help first so that it can prepare to meet the needs of an average of 311 homeless people who regularly use the facility.

From Nov. 1 to March 30, the center operates a winter shelter program called PADS, or Public Action to Deliver Shelter. Each night a different local church opens its doors to provide the homeless a warm, safe place to sleep.

Just like last year, Eskey expects to see more people utilize PADS.

"We've instructed all our different sites to expect about a third more at each sleep site than we did last year," she said.

The center is in the process of trying to secure a fifth church to serve as the Tuesday site because Trinity Lutheran Church had to step down as a site this year.

Despite the extra cost, Eskey said, the center hired two part-time individuals to oversee the PADS program, noting that increased numbers demand more supervision.

Eskey pegs the influx of homeless people on the rapidly declining economy.

"The increases are definitely because of the economy and the job situation in Ventura County and in the country," she said. "We are having many of the homeless and nearhomeless coming to us for food and services."

Eskey said the center is always in need of laundry detergent and bleach; canned food; toiletry supplies like toothbrushes, toothpaste and shampoo; plates and cups for serving breakfast; sleeping bags, floor pads and blankets; and bus tickets or tokens.

She said the center is continually looking for volunteers to help with everything, including laundry, preparing meals, answering phones and data entry.

"About 70 percent of everything we do is done with volunteers," Eskey said.

In addition, the center is soliciting new board members for three open seats on the board.

The center, at 280 Royal Ave., is open from 7 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday.

To donate, volunteer or get more information about the Samaritan Center, call (805) 579-9166 or visit simisamaritancenter.com