Gainesville non-profit St. Francis House resumed daily meal services on April 29 following a brief pause that lasted about two weeks.
St. Francis House provides resources and shelter for women and families with children experiencing homelessness. The emergency shelter offers three daily meals, housing location assistance, case management and referrals to additional support services.
The organization paused its daily meal operation on April 15 in order to maintain regular services amid escalating operational costs, including a 30% increase in daily expenditures.
St. Francis House stated in a press release this week that an ongoing partnership with Alachua County and community support allowed it to resume the daily meals, which it offers between 9 a.m. and noon.
“The reinstatement of our daily services reaffirms our commitment to serving those in need while ensuring the sustainability of our core programs,” executive director Lauri Schiffbauer said in a press release. “We are grateful for the support of Alachua County and our community, and we remain dedicated to providing essential services to vulnerable individuals and families with children experiencing homelessness in our community.”
The news comes after the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners voted on April 23 to buy the St. Francis-owned Sunrise Residence Inn, which had a list price of $1.95 million.
According to a press release, St. Francis House assisted more than 200 individuals, served nearly 3,000 meals, and provided 1,312 instances of essential services for those in need after restarting the meals. The shelter emphasized the ongoing need for financial support from the community in order to continue providing meals, shelter and essential services.
Visit St. Francis House’s website for more information about the shelter and their services.