by Bailey White
Staff Writer
Like many non-profit organizations around the country, the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless is feeling the affects of an economic downturn. While the homeless community in Jacksonville continues to fill the shelter to over 100 percent occupancy, staff and the board members are struggling to make ends meet.
“We’re really getting squeezed from two sides as a result of the recession,” said Linda Lanier, the shelter’s president and CEO. “We’re seeing a much greater demand because more people are hungry and in need of the medical care we provide, and that’s why we’re operating at over our capacity.”
Lanier said for the past 21 months, the shelter has been constantly full, something which happened suddenly.
“It’s almost like somebody turned on a water faucet overnight. What’s really interesting is that within six months of us beginning to feel pressure, economists declared the recession,” said Lanier, adding this is the first time the shelter has had trouble raising money.
“The other side is that private donations have decreased. This is the kind of business that is double slammed when the economy is down,” said Lanier, noting that over half of the shelter’s funding must come from private donations because the government provides only 41 percent of its income.
“I’ve been told that when businesses have a bad year, the non-profits have a bad year the next year,” said Lanier, “and that’s exactly what’s happening.”
Lanier said a lack of private donations have left the shelter $160,000 short of its yearly budget of about $4.5 million.
The shortcomings have caused the shelter to reduce its staff by two and the remaining employees are working more to offer the same level of services to guests.
“At this point, there is no way to cut any positions without dramatically cutting services,” said Lanier, adding that she does not want to see that happen.
“We opened in prosperous times,” said Lanier, “and while we certainly weren’t flush, we had what we needed. We were able to improve our services and move from being a sheltering model to more of a rehabilitation model. We don’t want to just warehouse people, we want to help them get back on their feet.”
Also, since opening in 1995, the shelter has increased its meal program to include a full and more nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“Providing a breakfast and lunch keeps the focus on the campus,” said Lanier. “It keeps our guests from wandering downtown. We don’t want to be pushed to the point of having to eliminate a meal.”
In an effort to raise funds, 8,000 letters explaining the Sulzbacher’s situation have been mailed locally with the hopes that help will come soon.
“The fiscal year ends Sept. 30, so if we have to start cutting back it will need to be soon enough in the fiscal year that it makes a difference,” said Lanier. “We’ll have some tough decisions to make around April if things don’t change.”