DOVER, Del.- Bed bugs have forced the Whatcoat Homeless Shelter in Dover to shut its doors. The shelter has been fumigated and much needed renovations are underway.

The shelter usually holds about 50 people. Officials who run the shelter said the problem did not result from unsanitary conditions.

Dozens of volunteers are now coming together to help reopen the shelter. Many of the contractors working at the shelter are completing the work for free, leaving the shelter with more money for those in need.

"The money saved on repairs could go to the residents who need help paying delinquent rent or utility bills. And word seems to be spreading," said volunteer John Marble.

Students from Calvary Christian Academy certainly heard the message.  They spent the day taking apart beds and sweeping up the floors. With every twist of the pliers, students got a real life lesson in helping others.

"It feels really good, because these people have nowhere to go and it's like a safe haven," said Sidney, a student at the school.

Volunteers are ripping rotten siding of the shelter's child center. Ceilings are damaged, and volunteers said the bathrooms need work too.

So with the clock ticking down before the arrival of winter, volunteers are working fast, to get the refuge for the needy open again. They hope it will open up again by Thanksgiving.