To compensate for shortages, Unilu held a fundraising dinner and auction in conjunction with the United Lutheran Church, which raised about $2,300.

They will also be stepping up their grant application process this year and more actively soliciting donations of sheets, blankets and toiletries.

To defray costs, they receive donations of food from area restaurants including Au Bon Pain and Campo de Fiore and the Adams and Quincy House dining halls.

Kuo said that the area restaurants have really come forward to help after the cuts.

Despite the setbacks, shelter leaders said the opening night was a success.

With just a few minutes remaining before it opened for the season, the shelter was abuzz.

Directors and volunteers scurried around mixing orange juice, checking on supplies of sheets and towels and planning for dinner. The smell of coffee and pork chops permeated the air.

When the doors opened at 7 p.m., the staff flooded out to greet a mix newcomers and returning guests, giving hugs and shaking hands.

Joubert, who with her husband Rick has lived at Unilu periodically over the last four winters, had good news for the volunteers.

She and her husband will be moving into their own apartment on Dec. 1.

“It was the best Christmas present of my life,” Joubert said, describing the phone call last year informing her that she and her husband had received a subsidized housing spot. “I started crying on the phone.”

The volunteers had high hopes for the season.

“I’m very excited; everyone’s looking forward to this,” said Director Mariam F. Eskander ’05.

“We’ve planned well...there aren’t many things that can go wrong,” she concluded.