As the bitter cold settles in, Long Island organizations that help the homeless are stepping up their efforts.

Joan Noguera, of the Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless, says the number of homeless people on Long Island is rising quickly. She says single mothers and working families are left out in the cold, and many are forced to live in the woods. The Helping Hand Rescue Mission offers the homeless refuge from the cold.

According to Noguera, a count of Long Island's homeless will be taken in January. It will be the first of its kind in two years.Related Information:Nassau Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless866-272-2272Warm Bed Program866-Warm-Bed Helping Hand Rescue Mission 225 Broadway Huntington Station, NY 11746 (631) 351-6996