Charity struggles to keep doors open to homeless

A marked rise in homelessness coupled with a steep drop in financial donations has forced the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness (BAEH) to find new ways to sustain its programmes for the people who live on City streets, the organisation’s founder has told Barbados TODAY.

Kemar Saffrey, the founder of the 11-year-old charity said that while awaiting support from Government to continue its programmes it is looking to tap into the Welfare Department’s resources.

He explained that there are people seeking temporary accommodation at the BAEH’s Spry Street shelter while they search for a home to rent with Welfare Department assistance.

But Saffrey argued that the Welfare Department is in a position to make a financial contribution to the BAEH for the homeless who are housed at the shelter and qualify for public assistance.

He said in the event of someone staying at the shelter for four weeks, the Welfare Department, which he said currently refers people to the facility, would be asked to foot the bill.

He said other government agencies and officials also send homeless people to the shelter for assistance.

“So we have sent forward our documentation to be able to get into that programme. We are asking Welfare to pay for shelter services where persons do come into the shelter,” said Saffrey. “Since the person spends a particular time in the shelter, we will send a nominal fee to the Welfare to pay for that person.

“We are not charging the full $800, we are charging the nominal fee and it is not directed at the client, but the Welfare which has allocated funds for housing solutions to mitigate homelessness.

“So the organization is taking a strong approach from this month, in how we adapt to having people in the shelter where people will have to come through the Welfare system and then be referred to us to be placed into our shelter.”

He stressed that though the organization will soon be implementing this new system, the shelter will not be turning away those who come knocking directly on its doors seeking help.

Saffrey, however, said to ensure accountability and effectiveness of the pending arrangement with the Welfare Department, all the BAEH’s clients will be referred to the department once its offices are opened for business.

“It is to help us to meet our financial obligations. It is not different from what Verdun House is doing,” said Saffrey, referring to the substance abuse residential centre.

“Verdun House has a system where the government has to pay for persons to be rehabilitated. The Salvation Army charges $50 per week for persons that are sleeping in their hostel.

“So what we are doing is no different to what other organizations are doing. So we are saying we have a shelter here, we have provided the year-long service free, over 157 new persons used the shelter last year. The longest we have had somebody in the shelter for is eight to nine months.

“It is just a fee to help offset our operation cost because there is still rent, there is still, staff, there is still light and there is still water to be paid.”

Saffrey said that while BAEH has applied to Government for a subvention, the organization has to wait for the next financial year, beginning April 1, to see if its application has been successful.

But even if the Government grants the alliance a subvention, it would be limited, and insufficient to cover the organization’s expenses, he said.

Saffrey told Barbados TODAY: “Obviously we do not expect Government to cover every cost, but we are doing a national duty, and if there is funding out there to do this national duty, like the Landlord-Tenant Agreement between Welfare and landlords, then we are saying that we should be able to tap into that system.

“And we are encouraging other charities to look at the existing system, and get into an agreement with Government because they are already paying for these services through other agencies.”

He also explained that in light of existing economic challenges, many charities are at the mercy of donors who have significantly reduced their donations.

“There is limited to no income. No donations coming in. Our programme with major donors has ended and we have to reapply,” Saffrey said. “And a lot of international donations are not in line with homelessness so a lot of times we don’t qualify for them. So we have to get what we can from local donors and people in the public and the private sector and if they are affected now, that will affect us.”

(anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)