HomewardBound, Grand Junction’s homeless shelter, is serving more people every day and the cost is quickly eating through the nonprofit’s funds. The Grand Junction City Council discussed the shelter’s situation and a funding request to keep the doors open during a workshop meeting Monday night.
HomewardBound board member Bill Wade, in a letter to city council, reported the agency served 112,000 meals last year and provides beds to more than 150 people a night.
The Daily Sentinel reports HomewardBound had an operating loss of more than $50,000 last year, which it made up for by dipping into its reserves.
Wade said HomewardBound has cut staff, but cannot make more cutbacks and still maintain a safe facility.
“We’ve cut everything else to the bone," he told the Daily Sentinel. "These people [clients] need basic services.”
He says the agency is operating on the last $11,000 in reserve funds.
The City Council says it will decide at its Wednesday night meeting whether it can loan or give the requested $44,000 for day-to-day shelter operations.
