Thursday, June 15, 2023

Team GRACE,

Yesterday, you and hundreds of other people sent a clear message to the City Commission: GRACE works, and this community supports full funding for the critical GRACE services that thousands of our neighbors rely on.

At the City’s budget meeting yesterday:

• Commissioner Bryan Eastman proposed adding $300,000 back to GRACE’s budget for low-barrier shelter, along with substantial increases in City funding to other non-profit partners. This was approved unanimously by the Commission.

• Commissioner Ed Book proposed allowing GRACE to repurpose existing grant funding to support operations. Last year, we were awarded $300,000 of ARPA funds to renovate a campus building to expand programs and services. Instead, this will allow us to use these dollars to support the low-barrier shelter and largely maintain our current service levels.

In short, at the start of the day, we were looking at having to cut services and absorb a 50% budget cut in the shelter. Instead, thanks to your advocacy and support, we ended the day with an additional $600,000 in funding. Overall, this represents about a 10% cut. Considering the stark financial realities the City is facing, we are exceptionally pleased to have prevented any further cuts - thank you!

But we’re not done yet!

Despite our massive progress yesterday, we still have no funding to continue our street outreach program. We need just over $300,000 to continue to provide these critical services, including on-the-street psychiatric support for the most vulnerable (and visible) people without housing.

We’ll need to keep pushing to ensure full funding for street outreach, and we’ll need your help to do that. We couldn’t have asked for a better show of support than you helped make happen yesterday. Please stay tuned and we’ll let you know about the next advocacy opportunity!

In solidarity,

Jon DeCarmine

Executive Director

GRACE Marketplace

Download a PDF version of this letter below: