The Salvation Army’s Center of Hope homeless shelter operated at 146% capacity for the month of September, with the largest increase being women and children.  We have 131 total beds (48 beds for homeless men, 37 beds homeless women and children, 30 beds homeless rehab center patrons, 12 beds homeless skills training, and 4 beds for Reentry Partnership) and are having to put mats on the floor every night to handle the overflow.

We have seen a steady increase all summer long:
September         146%
August         126%
July                 104%
June                 103%

The increase comes at a time when we have seen success with our 30/60/90 Day program (3/6/9) in the Shelter. The goal of the 3/6/9 Program is to provide safe shelter and individualized case management so that clients have time to develop a plan and take active steps towards achieving housing stability. Clients in the 3/6/9 program have reserved beds, given a badge and are initially approved for 30 days. During their stay they must meet with a case manager bi-weekly and keep a journal of their progress throughout the month. Case managers evaluate client’s progress and may approve their stay for additional 30 days (90 day max). The 3/6/9 Program has proven to be effective in helping transition homeless into permanent housing, rather than being caught in a cycle of recurring homelessness.

The dramatic increase in homeless at our shelter and soup kitchen has put a strain on our already tight budget and during the summer when fundraising revenue typically drops. The Salvation Army puts maximum energy and limited funds to remarkable use with 82 cents out of every dollar going to programs and services, and only 18 cents for administration and fundraising.