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Fresh Start Emergency Shelter asks county for $45,000, outlines plan to reopen 24/7 pending ESG grant
Summary
Fresh Start Emergency Shelter told commissioners it seeks $45,000 for 2026 to keep operations and to match a pending Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) Emergency Shelter Grant that would allow the shelter to reopen as a 24/7 residential program in October.
Fresh Start Emergency Shelter leaders asked the Geary County Commission for $45,000 toward their 2026 operating budget and described plans to seek a matching HUD-funded Emergency Shelter Grant through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC).
Debbie Savage, director of Fresh Start, told the commission the shelter applied in May for KHRC emergency-shelter funding and that the KHRC application is a 100% matching grant. Savage said that if the shelter receives the award it plans to resume 24/7 residential services — previously curtailed — and to use the county funds as local match and to help sustain operations into 2027.
Why it matters: Fresh Start said local demand for shelter services remains high. Presenters described case management services that include help obtaining identification documents, transportation to appointments, and assistance applying for disability benefits. Savage said those services helped a recent client who secured employment after leaving corrections.
Operational details presented: Savage said Fresh Start currently provides day services Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., including meals, showers, laundry and case management. The building contains 19 residential rooms (two ADA-accessible on the first floor) organized into men's, women's and family wings. Savage said the facility can accommodate roughly 31–36 people depending on configuration and that the proposed shelter stay limit under the KHRC plan would be up to 90 days for residents who meet program conditions.
Grant and timeline: Savage said the KHRC award decision is expected in July or August and that, if funded, Fresh Start would target an October opening to have 24/7 services before cold weather. Savage described the KHRC Emergency Shelter Grant as a 15-month award for which applicant organizations may count the shelter building as local match for initial applications.
Commissioner questions: Commissioners asked about bed counts and program length. Savage confirmed 19 rooms with a mix of single, double and family rooms and said the organization is adding a volunteer coordinator and paid peer-support internship (Aaron Gilles) to support case management. Savage asked the commission to consider the same $45,000 allocation the shelter received in 2025; she said that payment in January had been critical to keeping doors open earlier in the year.
What wasn’t decided: No formal appropriation was made at the presentation. Commissioners asked to see the shelter’s budget materials and requested follow-up details about funding match and sustainability if the KHRC award is not secured.
Ending: Savage said Fresh Start will continue seeking grants and donor support, and that commissioners can contact her and the shelter’s board for additional material ahead of final county budget decisions.
