Most major American cities have visible "unwanted residents" -- men and women sleeping on sidewalk sewer grates, clutching their life's possessions in plastic trash bags.

Although State College's street corners are not full of this type of homeless people, many men, women and children live in the area without a place to call home.

Collegians Helping Aid Rescue Missions, a newly formed University student organization, hopes to help these individuals through community service projects and working with local shelters.

Most students are unaware of State College's homeless population because they do not fit the skid-row stereotype found in cities, said Christine Obenreder, director of CHARM.

Even fewer are aware that the homeless are often entire families and children, she said, and that category is growing. Department of Housing and Urban Development statistics show 43 percent of America's homeless are children and are not receiving education.

Of the three million Americans living below the poverty level -- $11,000 annually per family of four -- 16,000 reside in Centre County.

HUD reports that if the current trend continues, more than 18.7 million Americans will be homeless by the year 2003.

In the meantime, CHARM is growing in number. The group began a year ago as a concern shared among a few friends. Today, new members appear at the Monday evening meetings in South Frear Building as awareness about homelessness rises, Obenreder (junior-English literature) said.

The group consists of about 36 permanent members and encourages other "temporary" members to volunteer their time for any large project the organization may undertake.

Dawn Vey (freshman-division of undergraduate studies), a new member of CHARM, said she joined the organization because she wanted to accomplish something for the community, not just sit around and talk about it.

"You can be involved and not just sit in meetings and pay dues. This club is for people who want to help and make the difference," she said.

CHARM, which was officially recognized by the University last semester, has just begun to put their ideas into action. Their projects include petitioning the governor to inform him of the group's desire to cut the number of Centre County homeless and working with Centre House, 217 E. Nittany Ave., a local shelter.

"Centre House isn't a motel for transients. We help meet the unmet needs of the community," Ron Quinn, director of Centre House said. "We realize our responsibility to the community."

Obenreder said CHARM wants to help Centre House meet the needs of the community as well. CHARM members hope to transform the basement of Centre House into a day-care center/play room for those children who spend time in the facility.

Members have already volunteered to organize a babysitting service for this semester so mothers living in Centre House can have their days free to pursue jobs and find housing.

The facility, which is subsidized in part by the borough, plans to expand in upcoming months. Ron Quinn, director of Centre House, said 248 people were turned away last year due to lack of space, but 251 were helped. Thirty percent of those people were families, mostly with pre-school-aged children.

The yellow-bricked home, complete with a porch swing and a wooden welcome plaque on the front door, provides 30 days of shelter for people who have some tie to the county. Every night adult residents retire to the library or the living room for goal setting sessions and educational talks on how to interview, develop resumes and find daycare for children.

Last year, Centre House placed 100 percent of tenants in homes, and helped 93 percent find jobs, reports Quinn.

"These statistics go against the stereotype that said all homeless people are apathetic and lazy, he said. The results we've had blow holes in that theory."

Carl R. Hess, Planning Director, said in recent years the borough funding to Centre House has decreased and private community donation has increased.

Before the house existed, the borough owned two apartments that were utilized as temporary shelter. People were admitted into the apartments in the evening and turned out when morning came.

"Things got sticky when a wheel-chair patient and a pregnant mother with two little kids had to be put back on the streets in the dead of winter," Hess explains.