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Contact: Lyndsay Nantz Hoover, PR/Development Director, 817-632-7406 office, 817-992-5881 cell
Presbyterian Night Shelter Provides Hope to 5,000 Homeless Clients Annually Organization working to alleviate suffering and improve lives Fort Worth, Texas - For nearly 25 years, the Presbyterian Night Shelter in east Fort Worth has served the needs of Tarrant County's homeless population. The Shelter is the area's largest provider of services for the homeless and is the only free emergency shelter without length-of-stay restrictions. Located one block south of East Lancaster on Cypress Street, the Shelter believes in respecting the dignity of its clients, while supplying meals, beds, and basic human care to an average of 705 homeless men and women every night and approximately 5,000 each year. "Sadly, more than 4,042 individuals call the streets of Tarrant County home, and more than half receive services from us sometime during the year," said Carol Klocek, executive director of the Presbyterian Night Shelter. "But, the good news is we provide more than a place to sleep and food to eat. We provide hope." The Shelter is working to end homelessness and provides counseling and resources that enable clients to reenter mainstream society. For example, at least 35 homeless people are employed by the Shelter to handle the day-to-day operations. Case management and specialized services are also provided at each of the facilities on the 5-acre campus. The facilities include:
Within three years of opening, the Shelter expanded to its current 43,000-square-foot facility on Cypress Street. Safe Haven opened in 1999, and the Lowdon-Schutts Building opened a year later. The Patriot House, a transitional residence for veterans, will open in the spring of 2008. The Shelter is a local, nonprofit organization, which operates on a $4.5 million campus-wide budget. Only a third of the budget is subsidized by government sources; therefore, the Shelter relies on donations from individuals, foundations, corporations and local churches to operate. Since its inception, the Presbyterian Night Shelter has provided more than 3 million nights of stay and served more than 5 million meals to Tarrant County's homeless population. | ||