photo by: Journal-World Photo Illustration

Lawrence Journal-World Editorial

It is the season to think about those in need, in particular those who use the services of the Lawrence Community Shelter.

Last week, the Lawrence City Commission heard a presentation from shelter staff outlining the difficult financial position the shelter is in. Staff members said the shelter faces a $246,000 funding gap for 2019. It also is beset by staffing challenges, most notably that its executive director, Sarah Jane Russell, has submitted her resignation effective Dec. 31. Russell is the fourth executive director to leave the position in four years.

Shelter Board President Thea Perry said the changes in leadership at the shelter reflected the challenging nature of the work. “It’s probably one of the most difficult organizations to lead in Lawrence and in the county,” Perry said. “The work that we do is extremely difficult, and the shelter for many years has tried to be all things to all people. We are the resource of last resort for many people.”

Perry is right. The shelter provides an essential and noble service for the community, though it is often easy to overlook the population the shelter serves. The homeless have little in the way of resources and advocacy.

City Manager Tom Markus rightly noted that it should be a mission for the city and county to work together to help craft a long-term solution.

“While we may all agree that it’s not working as well as it could right now, if we let this falter, the task to rebuild something like this is going to become even more monumental,” Markus said. “It’s really on the ropes right now, and I think, quite frankly, we need to figure out how we’re going to stabilize this, how we’re going to make it sustainable.”

The shelter’s 2019 budget is $1.16 million. Funding from the city, county, United Way and federal grants covers $482,000 of the annual budget. That means the shelter must raise about $675,000 to close the budget gap. The shelter has raised about $430,000, leading to the projected shortfall.

This is not the first time the shelter has faced a financial crisis. It has sought help from the city and county in the recent past to make up financial shortfalls. And even if the city and county manage to find $250,000 to fix the shelter’s immediate problem, that’s not a long-term solution.

Some argue that the mere existence of a good shelter attracts homeless from outside the community. Statistics show that isn’t necessarily the case — some 62 percent of those using the shelter are from Douglas County. Besides, the alternative is to turn away those in immediate need.

Though nothing definitive was decided, it was encouraging that city and county officials seem aligned in their desire to help the shelter. “This makes me hopeful that we might help these good people solve a serious problem,” County Commissioner Nancy Thellman said.

The community shelter is working to restructure its staffing and organization. The city and county should help with that process and provide additional financial support as needed.

Douglas County residents who would like to contribute to the shelter’s efforts may do so at www.lawrenceshelter.org/donate.