Wichita ? With winter approaching, operators of a Wichita overflow homeless shelter say they are dealing with a steep decline in donations.

The shelter rotates among downtown Wichita churches from Nov. 1 to March 31. Janis Cox, co-chairman of the nonprofit group that operates the shelter, says it has only about a third of the money needed to provide the service. Another $45,000 is needed.

Cox says the shelter served 475 people last winter, with 226 of them people who had never been homeless in the past.

The Wichita Eagle reports that board member Bill Grisamore says the shaky economy is to blame for the drop in donations.

Grisamore says the nonprofit group’s board has not yet considered alternatives if the money isn’t raised.