ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Two area homeless shelters are watching their wallets as inflation pushes their costs up and stretches their budgets.
Inflation, from the gas pump to the grocery store, is impacting most Americans and families are more vulnerable to losing their homes.
Organizations that take care of those in need, like Christian Care and King's Harvest Ministries, are also feeling the impact.
Christian Care in Rock Island said they're not struggling to the point of making major changes, but are monitoring its budget closely as costs go up; even doubling in some areas.
They're paying an additional $300 a month on these expenses, adding up to several thousand dollars more so far in 2022.
With more and more families showing up for its community meal site, they say they need the help of the community to keep offering that service.
"So we'll definitely have to maybe pinch pennies there for not getting as many food donations since the community is going to feel the impact.," Christian Care marketing and events specialist Alexis Bull said. "So we'll have to start purchasing our own food probably if that comes to worse. But we get mostly donations for that. I'm definitely going to make sure the lights are off when we're not using them because the utilities have doubled in the past few months for us."
The shelter said that, thankfully, its food supplies are donated costs are not strained right now. But they're always looking for groups to host food donation drives.
King's Harvest Ministries in Davenport said their costs of groceries, toiletries and utilities have gone up.
They have chosen to make changes to their food menu, because some items, like eggs, simply cost too much. They have had to cut the number of times they use eggs in half.
A gift of $75,000 from the owner of Timothy's House of Hope after he passed away was given to King's Harvest, and they say they will use these funds to help sustain their ministry.
King's Harvest also runs an animal rescue and no-kill shelter in Davenport.
"We've really noticed a huge increase in our pet rescue," King's Harvest Ministries director Terri Gleize said. "People trying to get pet food, people that are becoming homeless. We still help people with their animals. When they get their apartment or whatever, we give them back their animal. But unfortunately, a lot of people just aren't getting back on their feet. So we're getting more owner surrenders at the pet rescue."
The shelter just used $4,000 of its donation to pay for community members' gas on Sept. 27.
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