As nights get longer and the temperature falls, Nov. 15 marks the official start of the season for Eugene’s Egan Warming Centers.
But this winter, the emergency shelter program was dealt a blow, said St. Vincent de Paul spokesperson Joel Gorthy.
“Across the board, funding coming from the federal government down through state and county budgets, there's an emphasis on reducing shelter beds, unfortunately,” Gorthy told KLCC. “So, St. Vincent de Paul is seeing a 50% reduction in funding for Egan, specifically.”
Gorthy said that translates to a loss of staff, as well as dedicated locations for the program. But he said St. Vinnie’s, which operates the program, remains committed to providing a warm place to sleep for hundreds of unsheltered people during below-freezing nights.
The Lane Events Center will be the primary site if it’s available. Egan also has one dedicated location in Eugene, at 530 Highway 99 N, just north of the nonprofit’s Eugene Service Station, and a temporary shelter in Springfield, at the corner of Mohawk and Centennial Boulevards, for use when needed. The youth site, at the First United Methodist Church in Eugene, will also remain available.
Gorthy said Egan Warming Centers need donations of money and warm clothing, as well as volunteers for the season.
