KILLEEN, Texas — The number of Americans living on the street is growing every day, and now a homeless shelter in Killeen is on the verge of having to close its doors.
Since 2015, Friends in Crisis has helped thousands of people suffering from homelessness find the resources, ability and strength to get off the streets.
These are people just like Kristen Landgrebe.
"February of 2020 — we were here from then until March of 2021, my husband and I.”
Landgrebe and her husband were homeless on the east coast, and had to make the long journey to Texas to find the help they needed.
They found that help at Friends in Crisis.
”It’s a struggle when you’re in need of so many different things and there’s no help in those areas,” Landgrebe said.
"You kind of feel stuck, and this place was extremely kind and compassionate and gave us everything that we needed made sure that we became stably housed.”
Landgrebe now works at the shelter that she says saved her life — the very same shelter that may soon close down because of a lack of funding.
”We lost some money — the county had been giving us TERF money, which is temporary emergency relief funds in the amount of $230,000, actually, it ended up being closer to $260,000,” said Secretary of the Board for Families in Crisis, the organization that Friends in Crisis falls under, Larry Moehnke.
None of that money was coming from the City of Killeen, and only two thirds of what they need to keep operating passed February.
”We haven't received any funding through the city for a couple years, and that’s through federal money,” Moehnke said.
“All of this federal money is not local taxpayer money.”
They can’t survive on donations alone, and that’s where the grants and other funding usually pick up the slack.
While the work to keep their doors open, Landgrebe has a message for anyone struggling like she did.
”Just know that you have people here that are willing to support you and walk you through this process," Landgrebe said.
“It's not easy, you have to do work on your end too. As long as you stay the course and stay confident in yourself, you’re going to make it.”
Friends in Crisis always needs more volunteers and donations.
While it will take more than $330,000 to keep the doors open after February, every little bit helps.
