Volunteers are looking to organize a new homeless shelter following a contract dispute between Butler County government officials and the nonprofit running the county’s lone nightly winter relief center.

Dana Perkins, one of the organizers of the effort, estimated 85 percent of the county’s homeless population may be left without a place to stay at night due to the impasse between the county and the Grace Youth and Family Foundation, which runs its winter relief center.

Bill Halle, owner of the foundation, said the center will not be able to serve as many people as it did last year after the county withdrew $35,000 in funding because he would not sign a contract that would remove his organization’s right to faith-based hiring practices, sign over exclusive ownership and copyrights to the program and to provide “extensive” auditing access to the county.

Perkins said, “We’re hoping to get a new place open by Nov. 15. We’re trying to round up volunteers to staff it. Where it will be — we don’t know that yet.”

Perkins is organizing a meeting to recruit volunteers at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the New Beginnings Church, 416 Center Ave.

Amanda Feltenberger, director of service integration and quality management at county Human Services, said the percent of the homeless population who will be served by the winter relief center is still to be determined because it is unknown which populations it will be able to serve with its reduced funding.

Last year, the center primarily served single males and females, domestic abuse victims and anyone else in need of emergency housing, Feltenberger said.

Joyce Ainsworth, the director of county Human Services, said the contract is a standard agreement it has with each of the nonprofits it partners with.

Halle said his center now will focus on priority populations: families with children, veterans, adults who are verifiably on their way to mental health or drug and alcohol treatment and adults specifically screened and referred by the foundation.

Perkins said he and a number of agencies and volunteers are trying to organize another shelter to fill the void.

“We can’t let people out on the street,” he said.

Perkins said anyone who is homeless should contact Catholic Charities or the Center for Community Resources.

He said anyone interested in volunteering can call him at 724-290-2384.

Eagle staff writer Joe Genco contributed to this report.