COVID-era assistance funds drying up for local nonprofits

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Nonprofits are doing everything they can to help those experiencing homelessness from ending up back on the streets, but emergency relief funds from the pandemic are wrapping up while the problem still remains.

Back in 2021, the United Way of the CSRA and the Housing and Community Development Department received millions in federal funding to help families in crisis make ends meet anywhere from a light bill to rent.

They’ve given out more than $11 million over the past two years, but the money is drying up.

They have helped more than 2,500 families keep a roof over their heads and landlords keep cash in their pockets.

The program was never meant to last forever, instead, it revealed a bigger issue and a big need as rental prices climb along with inflation.

“Sixty percent of those families that we’ve helped, we’ve helped more than once. So it shows that there is a there was a bigger problem. And there’s a bigger issue in our community than just what was initially meant for very temporary when we found that over half of the families are getting help more than once,” said Brittany Burnett, president and CEO of United Way CSRA.

With homelessness on the rise, and shelters like the Garden City Rescue Mission at risk of closing without funding, those who are trying to get back on their feet are worried about what happens without a safety net.

Leaders are worried we’re going to see even more people experiencing homelessness out on the street.

Larry Murray is a recovering alcoholic and he knows firsthand what it means to hit rock bottom.

“I became homeless due to drugs and alcohol, abuse, my responsibilities, and the people that were trying to help me, you know, my family. So they said, it’s time for you to go. And that started my homeless track,” said Murray.

It’s hard to climb up from the bottom, but he says it’s possible with the right resources.

“Fortunately, I found Garden City. And it’s just been a wild ride for me. But they’ve helped me get on my feet, they gave me some stability,” said Murray.

But that stability is at risk. Garden City has to come up with hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep its doors open.

Right now they house 60 men a night and help hundreds more.

Executive Director of Garden City Patrick Feistel said: “It’s a heartbreak every day, to see the people in the situations, even though we can’t house them, we still try to help them. But that just makes everything so much harder for everybody.”

On top of one of our few shelters at risk of closing and rental assistance from the pandemic drying up, those at risk of stumbling may not have as many safety nets there to catch them.

“Things happen, you fall, you trip, and you got to have something to pull you back up an anchor,” said Murray.

He says it starts with ability.

“If you don’t practice that, as you practice drinking, or drugging, then that’s going to take over whatever the dominating thought is that you hold in your head. They teach us here to hold that positive, dominating thought. It’s going to be tough, and it will be tough, but you’ve got to just keep going and keep pushing and keep driving yourself,” said Murray.

Those funds are expected to wrap up in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, United Way tells News 12 they have multiple programs to help get you a job and transportation so that you can keep the lights on in your home.

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