Greg Coburn / news@whmi.com


Funding is needed to keep an adult seasonal homeless shelter open.

The Severe Weather Network Livingston County (SWN) Board of Directors has voted to end this winter’s operations of the homeless shelter unless additional funds and volunteer commitments are confirmed by October 31st. The board needs $200,000 to operate this winter.

The organization serves about 60 homeless individuals each winter and the number is expected to increase due to evictions and cost of living increases. The pandemic forced the organization to take costly measures to ensure the health and safety of the guests and volunteers which resulted in zero transmissions of COVID.

The pandemic also forced around 450 volunteers to quit so now they have to hire security and part-time coordinators. The Severe Weather Network is a 501 (3) nonprofit organization and has provided emergency winter shelter services to the Livingston County homeless adult men and women since 2016. Co-chairperson Diane Duncan says that this is an urgent plea and a final request for financial help.

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