Donation to help provide shelter for homeless
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)-United Way of Southeastern Idaho has awarded an $8,000 emergency grant to Valley Mission in Pocatello. The grant will be used by a coalition of community partners to provide overnight shelter needs for homeless people.
The community coalition has worked to safely house homeless individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, since traditional shelters and overnight warming facilities have not been available.
UWSEI CEO Kevin Bailey said, “We are grateful to be able to provide this funding to a coalition of agile partners who are working together to simply save lives. Covid has presented us with logistical challenges to safely shelter folks and this should help our community alleviate that issue during the cold weather months.”
The partners are working to find a longer-term overnight warming shelter that does not involve motel vouchers. But, in the short term, emergency overnight shelter, on nights below 20 degrees Farenheit, can request access to a one-night motel voucher.
The community partners include: Valley Mission at First Baptist Church, Aid for Friends, the Salvation Army, and other members of the Homeless and Housing Coalition for our region.
Karl Pettit, Executive Director of Valley Mission, said "Collaboration, cooperation, and creating workable solutions - this is what a community working together looks like. A big thank you to Mayor Blad for his support and involvement in this process and for seeing the need. As we move closer to a more permanent solution with the Salvation Army soon, this will certainly give those in our community in need a safe, warm place out of our cold Idaho nights."
