Local homeless shelters like St. Benedict’s and Daniel Pitino are more than places of refuge — they are lifelines, providing hope, stability, and critical resources to help individuals and families rebuild their lives. These shelters serve as the backbone of Owensboro’s efforts to combat homelessness, addressing immediate needs while offering pathways to long-term solutions.
I cannot overstate how important our shelters are. Supporting shelters isn’t just charity — it’s a wise investment in the community’s health, safety, and prosperity. When shelters thrive, they create opportunities for individuals to regain stability, ease the burden on community resources, and foster a compassionate society.
As we approach the holiday season, it’s a time to reflect on the blessings we enjoy and the challenges those less fortunate face. For many in our community, the comforts we often take for granted — a warm home, a meal with loved ones, or a safe place to sleep — are out of reach.
The Imperative Role of Shelters
Shelters like St. Benedict’s, Daniel Pitino, and others address far more than immediate housing needs:
- They provide stability: Offering consistent shelter and meals creates a foundation for individuals to focus on personal growth, employment, and recovery.
- They create pathways to independence: Shelters connect residents with tailored services, such as job training, addiction recovery programs, and mental health support, helping them transition to self-sufficiency.
- They safeguard public health and safety: By providing a structured, supportive environment, shelters reduce the risks associated with homelessness, including exposure to harsh conditions and interactions with the criminal justice system.
If these shelters were to close, the ripple effects would be profound and far-reaching. Although, this could be a reality without continued support from the community, local government, and/or state support.
Why giving is an investment and shouldn’t be an option
Investing in local shelters is not just about addressing immediate needs — it’s about creating long-term solutions. Every dollar given has a ripple effect, reducing costs in other areas and building a stronger, more resilient community.
- Cost-effectiveness
Homeless shelters provide far more affordable solutions compared to the financial strain homelessness places on public systems like emergency healthcare, incarceration, and law enforcement. According to national studies, providing shelter and support services is significantly less expensive than reacting to crises caused by homelessness. - Empowering change
When you give to shelters like St. Benedict’s and Daniel Pitino, you’re investing in programs that empower individuals to escape the cycle of homelessness. These shelters help people find jobs, secure permanent housing, and regain stability, turning your donation into a tool for lasting change. - Strengthening the community
A community with robust support systems for its most vulnerable members is stronger and more compassionate. By keeping shelters operational, we ensure that no one is left behind and that the entire community benefits from reduced strain on resources and improved public health and safety. - Local city, county, state, and federal government
Oftentimes, local governments get overwhelmed with funding requests and therefore give it to a third party to determine the greatest needs.
State and federal funds limit what can be used for operating expenses. Oftentimes, it isn’t more than 4% of what you get awarded. That means 96% goes into the program/service you applied for to increase and maximize participating client services. Also, state and federal funds are competitive processes (meaning each application is scored on needs and compared to every agency in the state) and the funds you receive must be matched equally. This means if we are funded $10, we must spend $10 to draw the $10 back.
If shelters like St. Benedict’s, Daniel Pitino, or similar shelters close, it would set off a devastating chain reaction:
- Displacement of residents: Hundreds of individuals and families would lose access to safe housing, forcing many into unsafe alternatives like sleeping outdoors or overcrowded conditions.
- Strain on community services: Hospitals, food banks, law enforcement, and neighboring shelters would face overwhelming demand, stretching already limited resources.
- Loss of lifesaving programs: Critical programs like job training, addiction recovery, and mental health support would disappear, leaving individuals without the tools to rebuild their lives.
- Increased costs for the community: Without shelters, the financial burden on taxpayers and local governments would grow as emergency systems absorb the fallout.
How You Can Help
Supporting shelters is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on YOUR community. Here’s how you can invest in their success to prevent closure:
- Donate: Financial contributions ensure shelters can continue offering vital services. Every dollar helps sustain operations, fund programs, and change lives. Donating in-kind items for furnishing households, food, cars, boats, ATVs, and even buildings as they can be used to generate revenue streams.
- Volunteer: Your time and skills can fill critical staffing gaps, directly supporting shelter residents and programs.
- Advocate: Speak up for the importance of shelters. Share their stories, encourage others to give, and urge local leaders to prioritize funding and policies that support these essential institutions.
- Engage: Visit shelters, host leaders to speak at your organizations, or help connect them with businesses and churches that can amplify their mission.
- Spread awareness: Follow and share shelters’ social media posts, ensuring their mission reaches more people.
- Local leadership: Contact your local government leaders and ask them to help fund or create revenue streams for shelters to prevent possible closures.
A Call to Action
Shelters are more than just buildings; they are cornerstones of hope and resilience for Owensboro’s most vulnerable residents. Their closure would devastate individuals and families in need and place undue strain on the entire community. Closure isn’t an option for us, but it can be a reality sooner than later, due to funds decreasing daily and expenses steadily increasing.
Visit a shelter’s website, send financial support, volunteer your time, or simply share their stories on social media. Together, we can ensure that these shelters remain a beacon of hope and a pillar of compassion in Owensboro, proving that when a community comes together, it can save not just buildings — but lives.
Together, we can ensure that these shelters remain pillars of hope and resilience, transforming lives and strengthening the fabric of Owensboro. Every contribution, whether time, money, or advocacy, is an investment that pays dividends in compassion, stability, and community well-being.
Your support doesn’t just save lives—it changes them.
Written by
Harry E. Pedigo, MSSW, MHFAI, CENM
Executive Director
St. Benedict and Daniel Pitino Shelters
