ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. — The Adams County Homeless Shelter in Gettysburg received a $450,000 commitment from WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital Tuesday to ensure that the operation continues for the next three years, according to the South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP).
The SCCAP said in a news release that the shelter, located at 151 North Stratton Street in Gettysburg, had been at risk of closure due to recent funding cuts.
“The funding from WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital will not only allow us to maximize the services and operations of the shelter but will also provide us with the time to determine and develop future funding opportunities,” said Megan Shreve, chief executive officer of SCCAP.
Shreve continued, “This amazing support will also help us better address food insecurity, another social determinant of health. SCCAP’s Gleaning Project salvages nearly 300,000 pounds of local fresh produce each year that would have gone to waste. We distribute the collected produce to the shelter and to senior centers to support people in our community who are food insecure.”
The shelter is a family-only shelter that can serve up to eight families at any time, usually for 30 to 90 days, the news release said. But with the funding changes, according to the SCCAP, the shelter had only been able to operate in the evenings.
“All of us at SCCAP are extremely grateful for the support we’ve received over the past two months from so many individuals and organizations in the community,” Shreve concluded. “The lives of local families are changed because of this support and we are so deeply appreciative.”
Jane Hyde, Ph.D., senior vice president, WellSpan Health and president, WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital had this to say:
“We have a shared belief with SCCAP that a person’s health and wellness is directly influenced by aspects of their lives that are sometimes out of their control. SCCAP and their shelter provide an important option to families experiencing housing challenges and is a very important service to our community serving more than 60 families every year.
“At WellSpan, we believe in knowing our patients and caring for the whole person – including those factors that go beyond the walls of the hospital or doctor’s office. As a good neighbor and a health care provider, we are grateful to be able to do our part to keep this important community resource open. We appreciate the Gettysburg Hospital Foundation for partnering with us to make this commitment to SCCAP and to our community.”
