Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homeless Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bethany House shelter pleads for county help after loss of long-standing state grant
Summary
Bethany House, the county’s only shelter that serves women and children, told commissioners it lost a $200,000 state grant and asked for county assistance to avoid turning families away; administrators said the shelter stays full and that losing funds would force some residents back onto the street or into foster care.
Bethany House leaders asked Berkeley County commissioners on Jan. 14 for emergency help after the shelter lost a long-standing state grant that previously supported operations for women and children.
Bonnie Shaw, director of services at Community Networks at Bethany House, and Christy Bentley, finance director, told the commission the shelter is at capacity: at the time of the meeting they reported 20 women and 12 children in residence. They said the program has served hundreds of people annually and that roughly 72% of those served do not return to the shelter after exiting.
Bentley said the shelter lost about $200,000 in funding after an external agency reallocated the grant to another provider in a neighboring county. The presenters said that shift has strained cash flow and that, although local partners including the City of Martinsburg and United Way provided short-term help, the shelter still faces a funding gap that could force it to reduce or close operations if permanent funding is not restored.
Shelter leaders described the program’s work — case management, job-search help, housing assistance, food and on-site support for children — and said the shelter is the only facility in the Eastern Panhandle that accepts women with children. They asked the commission to consider financial assistance to keep the shelter open and emphasized the potential consequences for children and for child-protective services if families lose shelter.
Commissioners expressed sympathy and said they would pursue conversations with state legislators and local funders; one commissioner said he would contact legislators in Charleston on the shelter’s behalf. Bethany House representatives said they would welcome tours of the facility and further conversations with county staff.
Why it matters: Bethany House provides emergency shelter and services for families; losing a major grant could increase homelessness among women and children and increase pressure on foster-care and social-service systems.
Next steps: Commissioners did not take an immediate funding vote; members said they would follow up with state legislators and community funders and requested additional financial details from Bethany House to assess possible county assistance.
