UP for Women and Children, a Louisville nonprofit, is celebrating eight years of helping women and children experiencing homelessness. The organization says more people are turning to its services as they face rising costs and fewer resources.
Meeting the Growing Need
The nonprofit is Louisville’s only daytime shelter exclusively serving women experiencing homelessness and their children. Executive Director Lorena Hood said, “We serve between 100 and 130 people a day. Our numbers used to be 80 to 100. This uptick has been in the last six months.” UP provides a safe place for women and children during the day, offering resources like meals, showers, case management, and connections to housing.
Some guests rely on the shelter as a place where they can finally feel safe. Hood said, “There will be people. They will lay down on the floor if they have to, or completely asleep all day while we’re open, because that’s the only place they feel safe to sleep.” Last fiscal year, UP served more than 2,100 guests and recorded more than 14,000 visits, a 437% increase from when it opened in 2018.
Concerns About Funding
As demand grows, leaders are concerned about possible cuts to federal funding that could impact programs helping survivors of domestic violence. Hood explained, “Imagine somebody fleeing domestic violence and they come and are eligible for this program. We can help pay their deposits, get them in housing, and then we case manage long term for a year to a year and a half, helping them stabilize.” Congressman Morgan McGarvey toured the shelter and emphasized the importance of such programs in helping families move forward.
Volunteers play a key role in helping UP continue its mission. Board member and volunteer Cecily Bell said, “Homelessness can also be quicksand. Once you’re in, it’s really hard to get out.” UP currently operates Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but leaders hope to expand to five days a week by 2027 with additional funding.
The organization will host its annual Uplift fundraiser at The Crowne Plaza on August 29. UP is not accepting clothing donations at this time but is in need of items such as adult backpacks, snack bags, stamps, ponchos, bottled water, tents, and hygiene kits.
Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.
