Roseville Homeless Shelter In Need Of Donations To Stay Open
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) - A home devoted to helping the needy is now in need itself.
The Gathering Inn in Roseville is the only year-round overnight shelter between Sacramento and Reno, but it might be forced to close down without a lot of cash to keep it open.
This shelter has been open for 8 years, but the money just hasn't come in to keep it open; and come Monday, the doors will close for good unless they get a $150,000 donation.
The Gathering Inn is home to 56 homeless people.
"It means the world to me," said Jamie Holt, who uses the shelter.
Holt is pregnant. Her baby is due any day.
"I am petrified. I'm doing everything I can right now not to cry," said Holt.
Holt says she just learned the shelter, her home for now, is closing down Monday. So she won't have a roof over her head, food, or even a place to take a shower.
"It saves people's lives quite frankly," said Liz Nicholson, who helps run The Gathering Inn.
Last year, 160 people used the shelter, and now have a permanent place to call home. But the donations haven't been coming in, and they need $150,000 to stay open.
"Monday morning they will be walking out of here with black garbage sacks over their shoulders with all their belongings in them and they will be going back on the street," said Nicholson.
Local churches team up to help the non-profit and the needy. Karl Thompson with St. Clare's Catholic Church worries what will happen if they can't get the cash the Inn now needs.
"We would obviously like to see the program stay open. We need to be able to support those that are less fortunate," said Thompson.
"Saved my life," said Tom Hart, a former resident.
Hart was homeless three years ago and The Gathering Inn helped him with back on track.
"We have a home, we have a car," said Hart.
Now he's worried the program won't be around to help people like Holt, who is facing the toughest reality of all: living on the streets with a newborn baby.
"I consider myself a survivor. I can get through pretty much anything, but I've never had to go through a pregnancy like this and being homeless," said Holt.
Now, the shelter is hoping it will get $150,000 and reopen in about eight weeks, but that's only if they get the money.
The shelter also has 13 employees and all of them will be out of a job.
