WORCESTER, Mass. - Abby's House, the Worcester nonprofit that provides shelter for homeless, battered and low-income women and children, needs more room to help more people.

Shelter manager Alfee Westgroves said the number of calls they’re receiving has doubled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am almost always full," Westgroves said. "When I'm not full, I am interviewing the 10 calls a day at least that I get for that space."

The building on Crown Street hasn’t had any significant upgrades since Abby's House took it over in 1976. A multi-million dollar project will allow the nonprofit to not just make repairs, but also grow from nine beds to 18. The increase in rooms will allow women to have their own, private space.

"They can go in, they can close the door behind them, and they can rest in their own, private unit," said executive director Stephanie Page.

Page said there's a need for more affordable housing in Worcester, and there’s a growing demand for shelters. She said it’s these circumstances which make their renovations and everyday work so important.

"We do believe that when women come to us, that they're seeking to try and find a solution to their situation," Page said.

As they grow to help more women find that solution, Abby's House needs some help of their own. Three months before construction is supposed to begin, they’re still in need of a temporary shelter, and are asking the community for help.

"We currently have like five bedrooms and we're looking for something that can feel like a home around that size to move into temporarily," Westgroves said.

Abby's House said the hope is to have construction start right around July 1, and the project is expected to take somewhere between nine months and a year to complete.