County Cuts Off SHAL for Bus Tickets & Housing First

Citing “duplication of services,” the Monroe County Human Services Advisory Board singled out SHAL for zero funding for SHAL’s popular relocation (bus ticket) program and the proven successful Housing First program, which had only gotten underway this year, but had already found housing for a couple dozen homeless persons. Last year was the first time Monroe County had provided essentially any funding to SHAL.

The stated reason for the cutoff was quite surprising, given that no other agency has provided significant Housing First subsidies to homeless clients and SHAL has been the only agency to provide the highly regarded bus ticket program (resettling over 300 SHAL clients and those from many other agencies into programs or reuniting them with families outside Monroe County and spending about $75,000. SHAL has issued and paid for 95% of the relocation bus tickets in Monroe County since January 2014).

So we are quite confused as to how providing these unique services in Monroe County and the Lower Keys could possibly be construed as “duplication of services.” SHAL will be replacing this funding through other sources, because we feel it is imperative to find housing for homeless people and to relocate clients back to the mainland when that is their best option.

SHAL helps out Catholic Charities, Hosts Soup Kitchen program

SHAL has taken the lead in providing a site for the essential Soup Kitchen serving area, which has been providing a daily meal to Key West families for decades. Starting October 1st, SHAL staff will bring the prepared food (delicious!) to the Shelter and serve the residents. Catholic Charities needed to move the serving area in order to accommodate a new housing project, and no other site was willing or available to host the program.

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