Loganville homeless shelter closing
The Reedsburg (WI) Times-Press
Monday, August 22, 2005
REEDSBURG - The only homeless shelter in a six-county area
will close its doors next month if a new facility does not
become available immediately.
Homeless Haven shelter has operated free-of-rent in the
former St. John's parsonage in Loganville since 1997 but
received notice last Friday that the church plans to sell the
building. The shelter, which has been full for the last four
years - and currently has a waiting list of 18 people - was
asked to leave the house by Sept. 15.
"We are desperate," Homeless Haven Executive
Director Betty Krueger said. "We need the entire county
to pull behind us to take care of these people."
The Board of Directors has secured grant money to purchase a
new building for the shelter but now has little time to find
an affordable facility in move-in condition before next
month's deadline.
"We need something near employment," said board
treasurer Al Zipsie, who said they will be looking to
relocate in Baraboo, Lake Delton or Wisconsin Dells.
"We're after something that will give us a decent size
that people actually can live in."
Homeless Haven, formerly Rainbow House, began in 1991 and in
its first year helped 50 families with rent, clothing and
referrals. Eight years ago St. John's donated the use of the
four-bedroom parsonage in Loganville. The house gave priority
to women with children who could stay there for 30 days while
looking for housing and employment.
So far this year the agency has been "bombarded" by
over 500 people, Krueger said. One recent week she had to
turn away 30 people from the shelter; another week, 60.
"(Homelessness) is hitting rural areas like crazy,"
Krueger said. "(The homeless) aren't standing out on the
streets. You don't see them in small towns because they don't
want to be seen - they're embarrassed."
Behind the scenes, however, an increasing number of homeless
in Sauk County and surrounding areas are being shuffled
between agencies who themselves are experiencing funding
cuts.
Homeless Haven receives referrals from county human service
departments, St. Vincent de Paul's, Central Wisconsin
Community Action Coalition (CWCAC), domestic violence shelter
Hope House and local churches, all of whom will be affected
if the shelter shuts down.
Susan Tucker, housing coordinator at CWCAC, said Homeless
Haven's closing will affect her agency
"tremendously," as they refer 15 to 20 people per
week to the shelter.
When Hope House is full they send those seeking safe housing
to Homeless Haven, director Bev Simonds said.
"Statistically, you'll find that 50 percent of women
that are homeless it's because of domestic violence,"
she said. "We are hopeful that a community effort will
evolve and support a homeless facility in Baraboo. There's a
severe need for that resource."