UPDATE: June 8, 2013
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)--Some residents are spending their last night at a Tallahassee homeless shelter, the Haven of Rest is closing.
North Florida Baptist Church runs the shelter but with donations being down for years, they can't make up the shortfall. By the end of the month the Haven of Rest will shut its doors.
Glenn Burns, the executive director of the Good Samaritan Network says he and other service providers have put together a temporary emergency plan for the 30 to 40 short term residents in the Haven's Frenchtown Chapel who have to be out by Sunday.
They will stay at the Hope Community Center for the week.
You can reach Glenn Burns at (850) 556-5202 if you want to find out how you can help.
Here's a statement from the Big Bend Homeless Coalition:
With the closure of the emergency homeless shelter at the Haven of Rest, the Big Bend Homeless Coalition will be providing overflow emergency sheltering beginning Sunday, January 9, 2013. Mattresses will be set up in the cafeteria of the Homeless Coalition’s HOPE Community facility at 2729 West Pensacola Street.
“The Homeless Coalition welcomes the men who have been staying at the Haven of Rest. We will offer hospitality, caring, and safe housing to those who have lost their temporary home,” said Susan Pourciau, Executive Director of the Big Bend Homeless Coalition. The Homeless Coalition is working with other community partners to arrive at a long-term response to the apparent closing of the Haven of Rest. Financial contributions are needed and can be made online at www.bigbendhc.org.
June 7, 2013
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)--A Tallahassee homeless shelter is shutting down for good.
Leaders of a local homeless shelter say that's now their only option.
After years of dwindling donations, those in charge of the Haven of Rest homeless shelter say they have to close by the end of the month.
By the end of the month the Haven of Rest homeless shelter on Tennessee Street will be closed for good.
Some of the short term residents will have to start moving out this weekend.
"I came here to be in a safe place and was looking for more and now they tell us we have to leave," said resident Robert Overman.
Overman says he's been staying at the Haven of Rest as he tries to get back on his feet. With this shelter closing, he says he's concerned about where he'll go next.
"A lot of us are going to be out on the streets," said Overman.
While some long term residents living in the main facility will be allowed to stay until the end of the month, other organizations like The Shelter are trying to help as best they can.
North Florida Baptist Church first opened Haven of Rest in 1984. The pastor says it takes between $250 to $300,000 to operate the shelter. With donations down, they couldn't keep covering the shortfall any longer.
"For about five or six years our church has been carrying the shortfall and filling in the gaps for the needs," said North Florida Baptist Church Pastor Randy Ray.
While some other organizations are working to try to help out. Leaders at The Shelter and Renaissance Community Center say they hope church leaders will be able to push back the closing date for at least another month.
