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Shelter for homeless single women with children likely to close down

http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/ArborHouseFINAL.mp3

The Arbor House, a home for homeless single women with children, laid off most of its staff last week as it struggles with financial problems and seeks for a way to keep the doors open. Arbor House Director Christy Finnegan says at this point, the center is not sustainable.

"We're experiencing a severe cash-flow problem due to factors, including loss of two substantial grants that totaled $60,000, and these were lost at the end of 2009," she said. "One foundation ran out of funds, and the other changed their program. We don't fit the requirements any longer. And then also due to an overall slowing of charitable giving.

For a year and a half, we've been putting Band-Aids on the situation. We've gotten some big donations that have carried us through a few months, but the overall problem is we don't have the consistent money coming in. As a result, we're around $6,000 a month short in funds to keep our facility open."

Finnegan adds the group has negotiated with every bill collector to ease up some problems, but Arbor House is still two weeks behind in paying its staff.

Hear the full story above.

Corey is a reporter for WUFT News and can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.