Shelter usage spikes
Butler County’s only nightly homeless shelter is serving more people this year than in the past.
Bill Halle, founder of the Grace Youth and Family Foundation, said his organization’s Winter Relief Center is averaging about 10 people per night.
“Our figures are through the roof,” he said. “Last year we had 629 guests stay from Nov. 15 through March 31. This year we already have had about 410.”
Now in its fourth year, the center opened on Nov. 1 and will be open every night through the end of March.
The center, at 100 Center Ave., offers people two warm meals per day, a bag of supplies, and a place to sleep at night.
This is the second year the center is open every night. During its first two years, the shelter just opened on nights below about 25 degrees.
Halle said he believes an increased awareness of the center is responsible for the increase in guests, but said the center also is working with organizations to find people in need.
“We have established great collaborations with other organizations in the county,” he said.
The center works with the Butler County Local Housing Options team, which includes a variety of agencies.
Dana Perkins is a volunteer coordinator at the center. He said the agencies work together to help the homeless.
“The center is vital to the homeless efforts,” Perkins said.
He and his wife, Sally Perkins, got involved with homeless relief efforts a couple years ago through the New Beginnings Church.
“Our involvement came about three years ago when we found people sleeping in the streets of Butler,” Perkins said.
To use the shelter, Catholic Charities provides an assessment of the individuals, then submits a referral to the foundation. Once the person passes a background check, he receives a voucher to the center.
Megan’s Law offenders and anyone convicted of sexual or violent offenses are not eligible to stay there.
The center is the only homeless shelter in the county open every day. It opens at 8:30 p.m. and people can stay until 8 a.m. the next day.
Halle said most of the guests are in their mid- to late 20s, but the center has housed people between the ages of 2 and 69.
Families use shelterHalle said one noticeable difference this year is more families using the shelter.“We’ve had a number of families come in this year,” Halle said. “Significantly more than last year.”Halle said there have been 70 bed nights for families this year.Perkins said the Local Housing Options Team also works to help put families in hotels in times of need.He said sometimes families seem reluctant to use the center.“Last year there were only a couple families at the center,” he said. “But we know there are homeless families out there.”Halle said people at the center are mainly from the county, but people do come from elsewhere.He said that about 40 percent of people who stay at the center have jobs.“They’re just not earning enough to pay the bills,” he said.
More use, higher costsWhile the center has been able to help more people this year, the increased numbers mean higher expenses for the center.“It certainly increases the resources needed,” Halle said.The center operates on a $45,000 annual budget. Almost all of that money is donated by individuals, while the county also contributes some aid.“The $25 checks keep us going,” Halle said.The center relies on volunteers to give countless hours of their time to help keep costs down.Halle said the center has two or three volunteers who work 12 hour shifts each night.“We have a very committed group of volunteers,” he said.The center contacts churches to help find people interested in volunteering.Volunteers help prepare the meals for those at the shelter and will wake them up in the morning.They also take care of maintaining the center, such as cleaning the space to be used for other functions during the day.
Housing long-term goalWhile the center offers a warm place to sleep at night, its real function is to help end and prevent cases of homelessness, Halle said.“The goal isn’t to provide shelter,” he said. “Our goal is to help get into long-term housing.”About 60 percent of people who stayed at the center last year found long-term housing.Halle said people there are offered a variety of other resources by the foundation, including financial planning.He said all the services provided are made possible by the contributions.“The only way we can do it is by having community support,” Halle said.To donate, send a check made out to GYFF to 100 Center Ave., Butler, PA 16001.Donations to the Local Housing Options Team can be made by sending a check made out to CCR/LHOT to the Center for Community Resources, 212-214 S. Main St., Suite 625, Butler, PA 16001.
