JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - In a story and headlines Dec. 19 about a Juneau homeless shelter, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the shelter was facing closure if operators don’t raise enough money. The shelter, the Glory Hole, would be forced to rely on a reserve fund, not shut down.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Juneau homeless shelter seeks to raise $59,000
The Glory Hole, Juneau’s homeless shelter and soup kitchen, remains short of its $180,000 fundraising goal this year
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The Glory Hole, Juneau’s homeless shelter and soup kitchen, remains short of its $180,000 fundraising goal this year.
Alaska Native organizations are holding the 2nd Annual Glory Hole Fundraiser on Tuesday to help bring in the needed funds. Last year’s event raised more than $30,000, The Juneau Empire reported (https://bit.ly/2hPiTUy).
Executive Director Mariya Lovishchuk said the 40-bed facility needs $59,000. The shelter relies on the community to contribute a large chunk of its operating budget each year to fund salaries, food and repairs.
“We have a lot of people coming through the facility every single day and we just have wear and tear, things that we need to deal with on a weekly basis - showers break, door handles break, we need to replace faucets so we can wash dishes - things like that,” Lovishchuk said.
If the shelter doesn’t raise the money this year, Lovishchuk said it will have to take from a reserve account that holds only about eight months of operational savings. She added that the shelter would “be hesitant to do that because I don’t think next year or the year after that we are going to be any better than this year. I think it’s going to be a lot worse.”
Lovishchuk said the holiday season is particularly a tough time for the shelter, which is currently operating above capacity, housing 47 people.
“The outreach coordinator is a lot busier finding people stable housing and ensuring that we have as much room as possible in the shelter. Also, outreaching to people who are on the street definitely spikes up because the stakes are so much higher in this weather,” she said.
Tuesday’s event will feature dance performances and attendees will be able to purchase fry bread.
“People are putting signs up all over and making phone calls,” said Nancy Barnes of the Yees.ku.oo dance group. “We have someone going door-to-door to vendors to get auction items and door prizes.”
Lovishchuk said she was appreciative that members of the community had joined the fundraising effort.
“It takes the whole town of Juneau to make the Glory Hole operate. I’m just so grateful for that,” she said.
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