learn more about the tallahassee leon shelter
TRANSCRIPT
The Shelter responds to the emergency needs of people for shelter, food, personal hygiene, clothing, medical assistance and medications, and crisis intervention, without charging
fees or imposing time limits.
The Shelter is a 24 hour agency providing the following:
• Shelter: Residents begin to check-in at 5pm for overnight stay
• Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served• Hygiene: Showers and related personal care needs• Clothing: Residents receive clean clothing• Medical: Nurses on staff, prescriptions filled and stored• Referral: 9am – 4:30pm Shelter’s Day Center • Crisis Intervention: Staff response as needed
• Incorporated August 3, 1988• IRS 501c(3) status, donations are tax-deductible• Board of Directors• Members elected for 4 year terms with a 2 term limit• Officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer
elected for 2 year terms with 2 term limit• Currently 11 directors (from 3 to 25 under By-Laws)• By-Laws reviewed by Board of Directors routinely• Task Forces and Committees Active as needed• Women’s Center opened in 1998• Shelter’s Day Center opened in 2004• West Virginia Street Office and Donation Center opened
in 2010
NamePlace of Employment and Occupation/Specialty
AreaBoard Position/Title/Officers
Deborah Holt Retired Business Owner and Grant Writer Chair
Priscilla Tharpe Coldwell Banker Hartung and Noblin, Realtor Vice Chair
Steve WoffordChurch Administrator, First Baptist Church,
CPATreasurer
Gwendolyn SpiveyFederal Public Defender’s Office, Assistant
Federal Public DefenderSecretary
Douglas Throm Homeless Advocate Member
David MaloneyState of Florida, Division of Administrative
Hearings, Deputy Chief JudgeMember
Ron Saff, M.D.Allergey and Asthma Diagnostic Center, Allergy
SpecialistMember
Henry (Buddy) Holshouser, Jr. Retired City of Tallahassee Employee Member
Janice Gilchriest G.C. School Board, Counselor / Consultant Member
Glenda RabbyRetired Legislature, Office of Program Policy
Analysis and Government AccountabilityMember
Tomi GomoryFlorida State University
College of Social Work, ProfessorMember
Board Members and its Officers
• Acting Director: Jacob Reiter• Shelter Operation Manager: Sammy Towels• Facility Manager: Robert Smith• Health Clinic Manager: Steffani Murray• Total Nursing Staff: 4• Total Office Personnel: 4• Total Facility and Program
Operation Staff: 13
The Shelter reached a new high with over 80,000 nightsof lodging provided to 1,860 unduplicated residents:•1441 Men & 419 Women•820 White •955 African American•8 Asian•9 American Indian or Alaskan Native•58 Hispanic/Latino•10 Other•454 Seniors (Age 55 and above) •86 Children•1,102 Persons with Disabilities•245 Military Veterans
• 36 different churches, social organizations, and groups provide dinner 365 days a year
• Bethel Missionary Baptist Church serves lunch every Saturday
• Cold Night Shelter Partnership with 1st
Baptist Church • Good News volunteers prepare and serve
lunch 5 days a week to about 150 people each day
• Hundreds of members of the community drop off food, clothing and other supplies
• Local social service providers offer programs at the Day Center
• University educators and students offer ongoing support and creative arts groups
• Volunteers help with evening operations
The Shelter Clinic responds to the immediate medical needs of homeless persons by having two onsite nurses available every evening to provide a preliminary assessment of a new client’s health status and also to provide ongoing care for all residents as needed.
Elaine Drotos: LPN, 34 years of experience, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, and Psych and Addictions background.
Adelina Estomos:
Steffani Murray: RN, 29 years of experience, Chemical Dependency and Psych background
Jeff Simon: LPN, 18 years of experience, Medical and Surgery background
The nurses had an accumulated total of 54,020 patient visits last year, and on average they consulted with 117 men and 31 women or children nightly.•Total Unduplicated Clients served 1,400•1,112 Men & 288 Women•601 White•717 African American•8 American Indian or Alaskan Native•8 Asian•56 Hispanic/Latino•10 Other•299 Seniors (Age 55 and above)•60 Children
•6 new staff members hired of which 5 of whom are women
•Weekly staff meetings and consistent staff training
•Weekly resident group discussions
•Monthly open forums for Shelter residents to discuss issues with staff and board members
• 3,120 visitors received essential support services, including meals, clothing, transportation, filled prescriptions, household items, or rent/utilities assistance.
• 1,860 unduplicated residents stayed overnight, averaging 220 persons per night.
• The average costs of residents so served was $7.36 per night.
• Over 150,000 meals were served, almost all of which were provided by community volunteers
• Medical services were made available 365 days of the year.
• Of the 1,860 residents served, 1,400 unduplicated clients gained access to a licensed nurse with 54,020 total clinic visits.
• The Shelter’s Medical Clinic stabilized and provided ongoing treatment for 115 unduplicated clinic visitors.
• Average Cost Per Unit of Service - $ 1.59 (Cost for patient visit to nurse)
• Average Cost Per Client -$ 5.34
Community Human Services
Partnership (CHSP), $401,50
0
Private Donations -
Cash, $317,036
Private Donations -
Donated Goods and
Services, $182,110
Grants, $33,327 Gadsden County United
Way, $17,500
Payroll-$520,905
Direct Assistance-$267,000
Occupancy Expense-$128,000
Insurance- $27,000
Supplies, Postage-$22,045
Repairs and Maintenance- $20,550
Transportation- $10,000 Professional fees-$6,500
Board Recruitment and Training- $3,000
Payments to Local and National Orgs.- $2,915
Requests $55,000 for The Shelter Health Clinic Program, to insure the continuation of critical services to the homeless in Leon County
• The Shelter Health Clinic Program Budget is $91,000
• The request to CHSP for $55,000 which will cover the nurses’ wages. The Shelter will raise the remaining funds to complete the program budget. The community has always responded with collecting the vital over-the-counter medications, or contributing to our emergency services program to purchase prescriptions and other medical needs.