In recent weeks shelters operated by Families in Crisis Inc. in Killeen and Temple have reached near capacity. Temple’s shelter, which opened in 2007 and is the smaller of the facilities, holds a maximum of 16 temporary residents who are victims of domestic violence. Without funding, it may have to close.

The agency is faced with the likelihood of closing the satellite facility or limiting the services offered through that facility in the fourth quarter of 2008 or January 2009, said Suzanne Armour, Families in Crisis community relations manager, in a press release on Wednesday.

Funding is strained and, in order to provide service in the three counties served by Families in Crisis, the larger facility, Killeen, must be maintained as the primary location. Other funding may become available in September 2009, at which time the services will be re-evaluated, she said.

“We will still have our facility in Killeen where people will be able to go, it just means moving people farther away and that is a problem. People want their children to stay in the Temple school district.” Sometimes, for periods at a time, that is the only stability in a child’s life.

Funding to date has been provided by the community, headed by Leadership Temple, a program designed to foster an understanding of the community.

“The building was donated. Leadership Temple got the funds going. We have had support from community groups but it has not had the traditional federal funding that we are used to seeing in places like this,” she said.

The shelter in Temple is not alone in its lack of funds. Armour said a lot of shelters across the nation have suffered a decrease in federal funding. “We anticipated that,” she said.

What they had hoped for was another source of state funding, but a facility has to be opened and operational for a year to comply. State funds will not be available until September 2009, she said.

“What we are trying to do is sustain ourselves for the period leading up to that mark,” Armour said.

For 28 years Families in Crisis Inc, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit United Way agency, has provided free and confidential life-saving services to victims of domestic violence.

“Generally in the summertime the numbers are higher. That is generally due to the fact that women will wait till the end of the school year before making a move, knowing the effects it will have on their children.

“To my knowledge it (the shelter) is the only one of its kind in Temple,” Armour said. “We have more than proved the need because it is busy over there in Temple.

“Having a facility like this close is horrible,” said Jill Hargrove, Bell County Victims of Violence coordinator. “I hate when this happens.”

Hargrove is one of the people who would call on the volunteers to assist Bell County’s victims of domestic violence.

The cost to run the center is about $42,000 per quarter and funds are needed urgently.

“We appreciate all the support that the community in Temple has shown us. We just hope that it will continue to be able to provide this service,” she said.

Several events by board members and community groups are being organized as well as a letter campaign to raise funds to keep the Temple shelter in operation.

To find out more about how you can help, call Suzanne Armour at 254-634 1184.