A shelter that serves as a lifeline for young people without a home in Spokane is preparing to shut its doors. Volunteers of America is ending overnight services at what is described as the city's only shelter dedicated to homeless young adults, removing a rare resource for a vulnerable group in the community and leaving many wondering where they will turn next.
The facility has served as far more than a place to sleep. Beyond housing young adults, Volunteers of America also uses the building for behavioral support services, financial counseling and community programming. That means the loss of overnight services threatens to take away not only beds but a broader network of support built around the young people who rely on it.
The reach of the closure is significant for a shelter of its size. Von Schott, the president of Volunteers of America, said that ending overnight services will impact 200 young adults annually. For those individuals, the shelter has represented a stable place to stay during a difficult period in their lives, and its closure removes that safety net.
According to the organization, the decision was not one it wanted to make. Von Schott said this was not her first choice, but one that Volunteers of America is being forced to make after the state cut funding for emergency housing. The funding reduction left the organization unable to continue overnight operations despite the demand for the service.
Von Schott underscored how much is at stake for the young people involved. She said the organization is there to help them on their journey, and that not having a safe and stable place to sleep and rest at night makes that nearly impossible. She added that Volunteers of America recognizes the impact of the closure and that the decision was not made lightly.
The timeline for the closure is now set. The shelter is scheduled to close on August 15, giving the young adults who depend on it only a short window before overnight services end. With the state funding gone and the deadline approaching, the closure leaves an uncertain path ahead for those who have counted on the shelter for a safe place to stay.