DELANO, Calif. (KERO) — The Delano Navigation Center has been in operation since 2021 but a lack of state and federal funding could shut these resources down.
- Flood ministries has been running the Delano navigation center since July of 2021. In that time, they’ve served 366 unique people. In this year alone, they’ve served 210 unique people.
- But these resources may not be as easily accessible come March and people may have to start traveling to Bakersfield for help.
- The city of Delano has stepped in to try and utilize their ARPA funding for homelessness.
Flood Ministries has been running the Delano Navigation Center since July of 2021. Since then, it’s been able to provide services for more than 300 homeless individuals. However, a lack of finances are putting the center at risk.
“Flood ministries, they did a great job I mean when I got there at first I got there with tears, when I left I left smiling but you know what these people have helped me through this whole thing, they’ve been very good with me and look it so far they’ve got me here and I’m very very very very happy with it,” said DNC client Rosalinda Garcia.
In November of 2023, I had the opportunity to speak with Rosalinda Garcia, one of the many people who have been helped and housed through the Delano Navigation Center.
In fact, flood ministries has been able to serve 210 unique people in this year alone.
“Our first and foremost goal is to get people connected to resources whether it’s an ultimately stable housing so we want people to get into a shelter, get into transitional housing,” said Executive Director for Flood Ministries Jim Wheeler.
Wheeler says for five hours Monday through Friday, the center provides people with fresh meals, showers, and transportation.
But these resources may not be as easily accessible come March and people may have to start traveling to Bakersfield for help.
“A combination of federal funding and state funding, those resources are not available anymore and so we were trying to figure out a way for us to keep the DNC doors open,” said Wheeler.
Though it’s a scary thought to potentially lose these resources in Delano, the city is working toward a goal to keep the doors open.
“One of the options is to spread that money over several years and keep the current company we have to continue the work with the homelessness and provide the services they do have going on,” said council member Mario Nunez.
The way things are now, funding for the navigation center remains uncertain. However, city council says they plan to regroup at the beginning of the year to fully determine how to keep the center up and running.
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