Unity Shelter is grappling with a financial crisis that will require the organization to cut back on the services it offers unhoused people in Benton County.
Unity Shelter relies on funds from the State of Oregon for approximately 90% of our operational budget, and funds are not currently secured to support all operations past June 30. Even if funding continues at some level, it might not be available until much later in the year.
The Unity Shelter board of directors reluctantly concluded that the only sustainable option was to scale down the operation and refocus on areas that served the largest number of clients.
“We have to prepare for the worst case, and for the organization to survive, we have to make dramatic changes to staffing and operations,” said Shawn Collins, the executive director of Unity Shelter.
Changes include:
Here are additional questions and answers about Unity Shelter’s cutbacks:
Unity Shelter’s growth was fueled in large part by money that came through the federal government to pay for pandemic relief programs. Much of that money has dried up in recent months – at about the same time that the federal government announced massive cutbacks in spending on domestic programs. This, in turn, has cast substantial doubt on continued state funding – roughly a third of the state’s budget comes from the federal government. The state budget for the next two years won’t be finished until the Legislature adjourns in mid-June. Even if state funding for Unity Shelter is approved, it likely won’t be available until much later in the year.
At a meeting in late April, board members determined that, beginning in July, Unity Shelter would not have enough money for the organization’s work to continue without changes. Unity Shelter staff members were told about the cutbacks, which will include layoffs, at a meeting on May 5.
The final number is yet to be determined, but it’s expected that about 80% of Unity’s paid workforce, about 40 people, will be laid off.
Roles, pay and hours are all under review, and cuts will happen at all levels of the organization.
The bulk of Unity’s efforts will be centered around the Hygiene Center, located at the site of the Men’s Shelter on Chapman Place. That facility offers food and other services to its clients. Unity Shelter’s SafePlace program, which offers shelter to clients through microshelters and case management, will continue, with reduced staffing. Unity Shelter, which had robust volunteer support before the pandemic, will redouble its efforts to recruit volunteers, and is exploring offering shelter with a largely volunteer staff. (Sign up to volunteer here)
On average, the two facilities together serve about 80 people each night.
31 microshelters are currently in service, with 28 people currently in the program, and placements to fill the rest in process.
No. Changes in the funding picture may allow Unity Shelter to revisit some of these decisions, but it will be important for the organization to ensure that additional services are sustainable through local support.
Currently, the best way to help Unity Shelter is to volunteer or donate.
Unity Shelter
4515 SW West Hills Rd. Corvallis, OR 97333
Non-discrimination Policy: It is the policy of Unity Shelter to provide equal opportunity in employment and services for all persons and to prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, age or sexual orientation. This policy of equal opportunity applies to and must be an integral part of every aspect of personnel policy and practice regarding employment and service delivery.
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