One of Bridgeport's biggest charities, the Thomas Merton Center, is struggling to stay in operation during the COVID-19 pandemic, its director says.

Merton House on Madison Avenue is a daytime shelter that provides breakfast and lunch to approximately 260 people each day Monday through Saturday.

Merton serves about 85,000 meals a year, and thousands of people rely on food from the shelter every month.

The director of Merton House says because thousands of people lost their jobs across western Connecticut due to the virus outbreak, the number of people showing up for meals has quadrupled in a week.

At the same time, donations have dropped off dramatically, which has made it tough to provide meals and keep their doors open, the director says.

The Merton House is urging the public to help with any support.

Click here for more information about how you can help.