TAFT, Calif. (KERO) — Alpha House a emergency shelter in Taft forced to reduce 24-hour services, due to staffing and financial problems, leaves a family without overnight support.
- Alpha House relies on fundraisers and community donations to stay open, but current finances are insufficient to maintain 24/7 operations.
- COVID-19 led to fewer donations, worsening conditions for Alpha House residents relying on the shelter for basic needs.
- Alpha House is planning a fundraiser to restore 24/7 services, as families await solutions during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Alpha House, an emergency shelter in Taft for women fleeing domestic violence, has been forced to scale back its 24/7 services due to severe staffing and financial challenges. This decision has left vulnerable families without a safe place to sleep at night.
"It's really stressful to wonder, where am I going to sleep? Where are my kids going to sleep?" says Denise Evans, a current Alpha House resident.
On September 27th, the shelter reduced its hours to an 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule, leaving residents like Denise and her two daughters scrambling for safe, affordable nighttime arrangements. Denise, who fled her abuser seeking safety, had relied on Alpha House for months. The shelter typically allows stays of 3 to 14 days, but Denise and her children have been there for four months due to their unique situation.
"Not everybody else is there to help, but I figured a shelter would be," Denise adds, voicing her frustration.
The changes at Alpha House came with little warning. Last week, Denise and other residents were informed their access would be restricted due to the shelter's financial difficulties.
"They were all informed that due to finances, there is a real possibility that we are going to have to close," says Shelly Gable, a staff member at Alpha House.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alpha House has faced dwindling donations and reduced community support. These challenges have forced families like Denise’s to rely heavily on their own savings to cover basic needs.
"We were spending our home money on food. They were only giving meals twice a week. It was getting worse, not better," Denise explains.
According to shelter officials, it costs $15,000 a month to keep Alpha House running. As a nonprofit, it depends largely on fundraisers and grants for survival.
"Alpha House is mainly run on donations and support from the community," Shelly continues.
Now, Denise finds herself facing an uncertain future. She feels the shelter could have done more to provide her and her daughters with stability during this challenging time.
"I don’t know how I’m going to pay for this motel. I don’t know what my next step is after this," Denise admits, noting that while she is receiving some assistance from the Department of Human Services, it’s not enough to cover all her expenses.
"They only cover so much, so everything else is just coming from my savings," she says.
Karen Dewitt, president of Alpha House, expressed her deep concern for the affected families.
"We don’t want to go to just daytime services. We want to be a 24/7 shelter, but we can’t do it with our current finances," Karen says.
Despite the challenges, Alpha House officials are hopeful that their upcoming fundraiser will generate enough funds to restore 24/7 services. As for Denise and her daughters, the future remains uncertain.
"Hopefully, within the next week or week and a half, I can find somewhere to be out of the motel, but realistically, I don’t know," Denise says.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To learn how you can support Alpha House, alphahousenewbeginnings.org
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