Nonprofit leaders tell FRAC Columbus must secure steady funding for shelters and human services

Summary

At a Funding Review Advisory Committee stakeholder session, leaders from YWCA Columbus, YMCA, Lutheran Social Services and other nonprofits warned of a growing funding shortfall for emergency shelter and human services and urged dedicated, predictable revenue to sustain operations and prevent service cuts.

Leaders of Columbus-area nonprofits told the Funding Review Advisory Committee on the evening of the stakeholder session that emergency shelters and human services face a widening funding gap and need predictable local revenue.

The testimony underscored the scale of demand and the fragility of current funding: Elizabeth Brown, chief executive officer of YWCA Columbus, told the committee, “As of January 1, the system faces a $25,000,000 gap just to sustain existing services.” Other speakers described high nightly shelter demand, long wait lists and the human costs of reductions in capacity.

The testimony matters because shelters and related human services act as a frontline safety net for residents in crisis. Without stable funding, providers said, they cannot plan, retain staff or keep beds open — actions that would push…

Nonprofit leaders tell FRAC Columbus must secure steady funding for shelters and human services

Summary

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