Homeless Women and Children's Shelters Return to "24/7" Service!

San Leandro, CA (September 6, 2005) - Building Futures with Women and Children is delighted to announce that funding from the Federal Emergency Shelter Grant program, which supports the San Leandro Shelter (San Leandro) and the Midway Shelter and Bessie Coleman Court (Alameda) has been fully restored. The agency, formerly known as the San Leandro Shelter for Women and Children, has served homeless women and children in Alameda County since 1986.

It has been a challenging year for the agency. One year ago, Building Futures lost this support, which for sixteen years provided core funding for the agency's work. Building Futures was forced to close its emergency shelters during daytime hours, and absorb a deficit in order to keep the programs operating at reduced hours. "If the funding had not been restored, the agency would have faced the closure of one or more emergency shelters. With this support, we can reinstate the service rich environments that make such a difference in our residents' successes," enthused Executive Director Elaine de Coligny. "We are overjoyed!"

Specifically, the restoration of this government funding means that Building Futures can return to 24-hour a day service to homeless women and children at both emergency shelters, and increase the case management services at Bessie Coleman Court, which provides transitional and permanent housing located at Alameda Point for formerly homeless women and children. Another key outcome of the funding is that the agency's award-winning Children's Program, which serves the youngest and most vulnerable of their residents, can be strengthened and expanded.

The funding was declined last year due to a shifting of priorities on the part of the funder. "We needed to craft an absolutely airtight case for the restoration of support for this support. Then we rallied elected officials who have worked with Building Futures for many years to attest to the need for our services," explains Ms. de Coligny.

Building Futures is grateful to State Senators Liz Figueroa and Don Perata, California State Assemblymembers Johan Klehs and Wilma Chan, Alameda County Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker, San Leandro Mayor Shelia Young and Alameda Mayor Beverly Johnson, all of whom helped to make the case for restoring this absolutely critical funding.

Building Futures' mission is to build communities with underserved women and children where they are safely housed, free from homelessness and family violence. For information call Peggy Combs at (510) 357-0205, ext. 106, or visit www.bfwc.org.

# # #