MORGANTOWN — At the request of Caritas House Executive Director Justin Siko, the Monongalia County Commission will consider providing an additional $5,000 to assist the Scott Avenue non-profit in running a warming shelter.
The additional funding would bring the county’s total contribution to $10,000 for the shelter, which operates when temperatures drop below 34 degrees and the Bartlett House is at capacity and turning people away.
“We’re just trying to keep people from freezing to death,” Siko said, noting the shelter is hosting about nine people each night.
He went on to say that the county’s assistance is timely as $9,250 in promised federal funding that is scheduled to pass through the United Way has been held up due to the ongoing government shutdown.
“We’ve expended $8,645 as of yesterday. We’re averaging roughly $205.83 per night and it’s costing about $24.22 per client,” Siko said, explaining that nobody is certain when the federal funds will be available.
“This is an expense that our agency has basically been covering to this point. Once that money is expended, we’re basically looking at a funding shortage, estimated, of about $9,686 to run that over the next 50 days.”
As the funding request wasn’t on Wednesday’s agenda, the commission said the issue will be taken up at next week’s meeting.
Siko also updated the commission on the upcoming point-in-time count, which will be held over 24 hours beginning at 4 p.m. on Jan. 23.
The count is meant to be a snapshot survey of the areas homeless population. It is a mandatory requirement for any community receiving assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The data compiled not only informs local efforts to combat homelessness, it’s also critical in securing grant dollars over the subsequent year.
Caritas House is leading the effort, which, Siko said, will take about 40 volunteers to pull off. A volunteer training session will be held Saturday.
Along with enticing folks to check in at the downtown Bartlett House location with a hot meal, cold-weather gear and other essentials, volunteers will be split into two shifts to canvass the area.
Lastly, it was announced that County Planner Rich Wood will be ending his tenure with the county in May.
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