By James Day
Sheltering Silverton has received a $564,683 grant from the state to assist in the agency’s emergency shelter operations in Silverton.The funds were part of a $10.4 million pool of state money awarded to Marion and Polk counties and distributed by the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance.
Sheltering Silverton will use the bulk of the new funding, $300,000, to renovate its modular warming shelter at the city’s Public Works compound. Key work to be done on the building will involve plumbing, the kitchen, the bathroom, electrical, fire sprinklers and Americans With Disabilities Act compliance.
“The remaining funds will allow us to expand our staff and our service hours,” said Sarah White, executive director of Sheltering Silverton. “Our shelter is now open every night of the year and our day services are expanded from 9 hours a week to 40 hours per week.”
The shelter complex at Public Works also includes 4 pallet shelters donated to the agency by the city that will accommodate up to 8 individuals.
The pallet shelter program is designed for those seeking to transition to permanent housing. The warming shelter is set to house folks for only a night or two. Originally, Sheltering Silverton planned to renovate the modular building with $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, but when bids solicited by Silverton Public Works came in well above that figure, the city and Sheltering Silverton agreed to go in a different direction, with the city retaining the $250,000 for work on the Public Works compound.
Sheltering Silverton hopes to have all permanent beds open and available nightly by sometime this summer.
