Cooking classes and financial advice are just a couple services Penn House leaders plan to offer their low-income clients soon to help them become more self-sufficient.

A number of changes are on the way, said Director Kyle Roggenkamp, but the emergency services that include the food pantry, clothes and rental assistance still will be available.

“We want to identify barriers to self sufficiency,” Roggenkamp said. “We are focusing on asking tough questions and helping people find out their goals so they can move forward.”

Penn House, 1035 Pennsylvania St., is closed this week for renovations.

One of the changes that will take place when it reopens is a new policy on free clothing that has some asking questions.

For decades people have been able to go every day for free clothes. Beginning Saturday, Penn House will require first-time visitors to provide identification and documentation that their income is under 185 percent of the federal poverty level. Staff will put that information into a database so they can determine which clients are new and which are returning.

That requirement has some people concerned. Jeff Myer, who has volunteered at Penn House and has received services there, said some current clients “could be disenfranchised because they don’t have proper documentation.”

In early October, clients were given a slip of paper notifying them of the change, Myer said.

“This could prohibit people from meeting their needs,” he said.

Roggenkamp promised that no one would be turned away, and that staff would help any person who doesn’t have documentation to get it.

Roggenkamp said some people have taken advantage of the program. Every morning when he arrives, he said, the same people are waiting and go in and take bundles of clothes.

It’s unclear what people are doing with the clothes, Roggenkamp said. Some people may be hoarders, and there are rumors that some may be sending them to extended family members living elsewhere.

Penn House provides not only clothing but food, rent and utility assistance, school kits and help with tax preparation.

With the new programs, Roggenkamp hopes they will be able to provide strategic planning for people to find simple resources that can be key in stabilizing their lives.

“We want our clients to address the barriers in their lives so they don’t have to ask for help,” Roggenkamp said.