This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public.

BURLINGTON – As the number of people living outdoors in the Queen City swells and temperatures begin to drop, a new shelter will soon open its doors.

The Committee on Temporary Shelter, better known as COTS, is slated to open an expanded shelter downtown in early November. The organization ran a smaller seasonal shelter at the same location last winter , but has since renovated the space to add more beds and more privacy for guests.

Yet the couple dozen additional beds are still a drop in the bucket compared to the overwhelming need.

“There are still as many as 300 folks living rough on our streets today, and with winter fast approaching, we feel the

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