Homeless advocates ask public for help

MOSCOW — Sojourners Alliance, the housing nonprofit in Moscow, is asking for the public’s help to assist its efforts in curbing homelessness on the Palouse.

Director Casey Bolt is anticipating federal grant funding, including American Rescue Plan Act funding that was started during the COVID-19 pandemic, to run out this year.

That means Sojourners Alliances needs to find other ways of financing its transitional and emergency housing services.

“It’s in the public interest to not have people out on the streets, to have people housed, to have people getting opportunities to be housed and apply for jobs,” he said.

Last year, Sojourners Alliance helped 165 people find emergency shelter through motel vouchers. It also helped 61 people find transitional housing and 27 people find permanent housing.

Sojourners board member Dale Gentry said on any given day, approximately 40 or more people have shelter thanks to Sojourners Alliance.

“We kind of fly under the radar because a lot of what we do isn’t visible to the public,” Gentry said. “All the people that we keep from becoming homeless are not visible to the public. All the people that we keep off the streets here in Moscow are not visible to the public. It’s good work, but it’s not noticeable work.”

The loss of federal funding was expected, Bolt said, and not related to the current presidential administration. The federal funding has allowed Sojourners to provide the motel vouchers and prevent homelessness through rental assistance and other services.

Approximately $300,000 grant funding from the American Rescue Plan Act has also covered his staff’s wages the past two years, he said.

That is why Bolt is asking the community and the private sector to provide grants, donations and partnerships so the nonprofit doesn’t have to cut services.

Bolt said the community has stepped up before when Sojourners needed help, including in 2017 when its transitional housing facility was destroyed by a fire.

Sojourners is also hoping people will lend their creative minds by joining the Sojourners board of directors. There are seven board members, but Bolt and Gentry would like to see that increased to more than 12 or 13. Gentry said it would help if people with grant-writing experience, fundraising expertise, development experience and marketing skills joined the board.

Information about the nonprofit can be found at sojournersalliance.org.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.