Cincinnati’s winter shelter for the homeless might not be able to open until mid-January if it doesn’t get more contributions, says Josh Spring, executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition.
That means hundreds of homeless people could be left out in the cold — literally — for at least a month longer than usual if the shelter doesn’t get more donations.
Spring says the winter shelter is currently looking at roughly $32,000 in donations if the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office gives $5,000 as previously promised. The city also plans to give a contribution, but it will likely give less this year than previously, according to Spring.
The $32,000 is far short of the $75,000 necessary to keep the shelter open for roughly two months — from late December through the end of February.
“It’s a bit of a precarious place to be at in November,” Spring says.
According to Spring, the goal each night is to shelter 91 people, although the number fluctuates depending on the circumstances of any given night. But the shelter ultimately services hundreds of homeless while it’s open as some people improve their situation and additional numbers fall into homelessness.
For its run between late 2012 and early 2013, the winter shelter housed roughly 600 people. “It’s a relatively cheap program to run,” Spring claims. “To serve about 600 people with $75,000 is pretty good.”
The shelter is put together by the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, Drop Inn Center, Strategies to End Homelessness, Society of St. Vincent De Paul and Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati. It’s supported largely by private contributions.
Anyone can donate to the winter shelter and Drop Inn Center at tinyurl.com/WinterShelterCincinnati. To contribute specifically to the winter shelter, type in “winter shelter” in the text box below “Designation (Optional).”
