SPOKANE, Wash. — Tens of millions of dollars are on the table to help local nonprofits combat Spokane’s homelessness crisis.
Organizations can now apply for $40 million in assistance that was given to the city and county to help combat homelessness.
“We’re not the shelter providers, we’re not housing experts. We are the ones that take those funds and we work with community providers to give them and they do the ground work,” said City of Spokane spokesperson Erin Hut. “We want to see more folks get access to the resources they need and get into stability, and this is going to help us do that.”
Nonprofits like Jewels Helping Hands says it comes at a perfect time as winter is just around the corner. Director Julie Garcia says if the nonprofit receives some of the money, it will use it to fund emergency services.
“It costs more to leave somebody without services on the street than it does to bring them inside and provide housing,” Garcia said.
Garcia operates a center where the homeless can access services such as job coaching or financial aid. It also acts as a shelter until 7 p.m.
“I believe Spokane can do a better job at how we address homelessness in our community and I’m thankful that we’re starting to do so,” said Garcia. “It’s a public safety issue. It’s a public health issue, and we are only as strong as the weakest members of our community.”
The city says the money could also fund various things like eviction prevention and more beds in shelters. Applications are open on the county’s neighborly portal.
“If dollars aren’t being fully spent, we can bring those back and put them toward something that is effective,” Hut said.
The city says it plans to approve funding and negotiate contracts in July with the deadline to apply coming up on January 8.
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