A program that offers homeless families in Eugene / Springfield a warm place for the night is running out of money.
It works in tandem with the Egan Warming Center which offers shelter for homeless people when overnight temperatures are below freezing—this [Tuesday] is its 9th consecutive night of activation.
Tom Mulhern is with Catholic Community Services of Lane County which administers the motel shelter program for families. He says Monday there were 32 families seeking shelter—the highest number in years.
“Really it’s a reflection of affordable housing crisis in this community and how that is really pinching so many families that are low income.” Mulhern says, “They run out of options and they end up sleeping in their car or other places where they can’t really keep themselves warm at night.”
Mulhern says the program started the season with $15,000 from a combination of county money and private contributions. They’ve almost exhausted the funds already. Catholic Community Services is seeking donations to help the program continue through the winter.
Catholic Community Services of Lane County 541-345-3628
