Housing Action Illinois subgranted $10,000 to the Carbondale Warming Center—thanks to the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund—to support the agency’s work offering interim housing and emergency shelter to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or who are unstably housed.
Ordinarily, the Carbondale Warming Center would close as temperatures rose and spring came to Southern Illinois. But this year, due to the pandemic, the center not only stayed open–it extended its hours to become a 24-hour shelter for guests without anywhere else to go during the pandemic and shelter-at-home order.
This greatly increased the center’s costs, as well as the need to introduce new health and safety measures such as checking temperatures, creating a new layout, and introducing an isolation safe space. Thanks to the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund, Housing Action Illinois gave the center a subgrant to help with these costs.
“The funding from this grant allows us to continue the services to support our guests, who are often overlooked in our communities,” said Carmalita Cahill, Carbondale Warming Center Coordinator. “Our mission is to provide a safe, warm place to sleep at night while serving with humanity, dignity and empathy at the forefront. We are grateful for the funding that allows us to continue.”
See more about the Carbondale Warming Center: Warming Center receives grant to keep doors open during pandemic (WSIL, 5/7/2020).