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State awards granted to county emergency shelters

By Shawn Linenberger - | Oct 10, 2001

The Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing has awarded Kansas counties and cities $828,750 in Emergency Shelter grants.

Leavenworth County and the city of Leavenworth together received $62,298.

The county gained $18,166, which went toward the Tonganoxie shelter. The city of Leavenworth was awarded $44,132. Grants were awarded to 10 cities, 17 counties and one unified city/county government (Wyandotte).

Kay Andersen, director of Alliance Against Family Violence, said the funds were needed.

“It’s so important,” Andersen said. “This is how we continue. We’re non-profit, so we’re basically running at a deficit.”

Non-profit organizations cannot apply for the state grants only government entities can, so Leavenworth County applied for the grants.

The county funds will be divided into various categories. Andersen said $8,000 would be used for operations, such as rent, food, utilities, pest control, a security system and insurance. Essential services will use $7,500 of the grant. Those services include a part-time case manager and clients obtaining self-sufficiency through employment. The grant will also help with transportation. Another $1,500 will go toward rent and deposits in-home, and $700 goes toward painting the shelter.

Leavenworth County had an increase in funds from last year when it was awarded $11,803.

The city of Leavenworth’s grant, meanwhile, stayed about the same and will be divided in three ways. Roughly $10,000 will be used for Catholic Community Services for homeless prevention. About $33,000 will go toward operations and rehabilitation, and administrative costs will use less than $1,000. Andersen said the operations money goes toward maintaining shelter property in Leavenworth, and includes funds for rent and utilities, and will pay for a new roof at the center.

Because Leavenworth is larger, Andersen said, population, childcare fees and insurance are factors in the larger grant earmarked for the city.