The shelter provides 24-hour emergency services for individuals in need, including shelter, food, hygiene, medical assistance, and crisis intervention, without any fees or time limits. In the past year, it facilitated over 80,000 nights of lodging for 1,860 unduplicated residents and delivered essential medical care through an on-site clinic. The shelter relies on community support for meals and services, and is seeking funding to ensure the continuation of its health clinic program.

2. The Shelter responds to the emergency needs of people for
shelter, food, personal hygiene, clothing, medical assistance
and medications, and crisis intervention, without charging
fees or imposing time limits.
The Shelter is a 24 hour agency providing the following:
• Shelter:
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Residents begin to check-in at 5pm for
overnight stay
Food:
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served
Hygiene:
Showers and related personal care needs
Clothing:
Residents receive clean clothing
Medical:
Nurses on staff, prescriptions filled and stored
Referral:
9am – 4:30pm Shelter’s Day Center
Crisis Intervention: Staff response as needed

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Incorporated August 3, 1988
IRS 501c(3) status, donations are tax-deductible
Board of Directors
Members elected for 4 year terms with a 2 term limit
Officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer
elected for 2 year terms with 2 term limit
Currently 11 directors (from 3 to 25 under By-Laws)
By-Laws reviewed by Board of Directors routinely
Task Forces and Committees Active as needed
Women’s Center opened in 1998
Shelter’s Day Center opened in 2004
West Virginia Street Office and Donation Center opened
in 2010

4. Board Members and its Officers
Name
Place of Employment and Occupation/Specialty
Area
Board Position/Title/Officers
Deborah Holt
Retired Business Owner and Grant Writer
Chair
Priscilla Tharpe
Coldwell Banker Hartung and Noblin, Realtor
Vice Chair
Steve Wofford
Gwendolyn Spivey
Church Administrator, First Baptist Church,
CPA
Federal Public Defender’s Office, Assistant
Federal Public Defender
Treasurer
Secretary
Douglas Throm
Homeless Advocate
Member
David Maloney
State of Florida, Division of Administrative
Hearings, Deputy Chief Judge
Member
Ron Saff, M.D.
Allergey and Asthma Diagnostic Center, Allergy
Specialist
Member
Henry (Buddy) Holshouser, Jr.
Retired City of Tallahassee Employee
Member
Janice Gilchriest
G.C. School Board, Counselor / Consultant
Member
Glenda Rabby
Tomi Gomory
Retired Legislature, Office of Program Policy
Analysis and Government Accountability
Florida State University
College of Social Work, Professor
Member
Member

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Acting Director:
Shelter Operation Manager:
Facility Manager:
Health Clinic Manager:
Total Nursing Staff:
Total Office Personnel:
Total Facility and Program
Operation Staff:
Jacob Reiter
Sammy Towels
Robert Smith
Steffani Murray
4
4
13

6. The Shelter reached a new high with over 80,000 nights
of lodging provided to 1,860 unduplicated residents:
•1441 Men & 419 Women
•820 White
•955 African American
•8 Asian
•9 American Indian or Alaskan Native
•58 Hispanic/Latino
•10 Other
•454 Seniors (Age 55 and above)
•86 Children
•1,102 Persons with Disabilities
•245 Military Veterans

7. • 36 different churches, social organizations,
and groups provide dinner 365 days a year
• Bethel Missionary Baptist Church serves
lunch every Saturday
• Cold Night Shelter Partnership with 1st
Baptist Church
• Good News volunteers prepare and serve
lunch 5 days a week to about 150 people
each day
• Hundreds of members of the community
drop off food, clothing and other supplies
• Local social service providers offer
programs at the Day Center
• University educators and students offer
ongoing support and creative arts groups
• Volunteers help with evening operations

8. The Shelter Clinic responds to the immediate
medical needs of homeless persons by having two
onsite nurses available every evening to provide a
preliminary assessment of a new client’s health
status and also to provide ongoing care for all
residents as needed.

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Elaine Drotos: LPN, 34 years of experience,
Pediatrics, Women’s Health, and Psych and
Addictions background.
Adelina Estomos:
Steffani Murray: RN, 29 years of experience,
Chemical Dependency and Psych background
Jeff Simon: LPN, 18 years of experience,
Medical and Surgery background

10. The nurses had an accumulated total of 54,020 patient visits
last year, and on average they consulted with 117 men and 31
women or children nightly.
•Total Unduplicated Clients served 1,400
•1,112 Men & 288 Women
•601 White
•717 African American
•8 American Indian or Alaskan Native
•8 Asian
•56 Hispanic/Latino
•10 Other
•299 Seniors (Age 55 and above)
•60 Children

11. •6 new staff members hired of
which 5 of whom are women
•Weekly staff meetings and
consistent staff training
•Weekly resident group
discussions
•Monthly open forums for
Shelter residents to discuss
issues with staff and board
members

13. • 3,120 visitors received essential support
services, including meals, clothing,
transportation, filled prescriptions, household
items, or rent/utilities assistance.
• 1,860 unduplicated residents stayed overnight,
averaging 220 persons per night.
• The average costs of residents so served was
$7.36 per night.
• Over 150,000 meals were served, almost all of
which were provided by community
volunteers

14. • Medical services were made available 365 days
of the year.
• Of the 1,860 residents served, 1,400
unduplicated clients gained access to a licensed
nurse with 54,020 total clinic visits.
• The Shelter’s Medical Clinic stabilized and
provided ongoing treatment for 115
unduplicated clinic visitors.
• Average Cost Per Unit of Service - $ 1.59 (Cost
for patient visit to nurse)
• Average Cost Per Client -$ 5.34

15. Grants, $33,327
Private
Donations Donated Goods
and
Services, $182,11
0
Private
Donations Cash, $317,036
Gadsden
County
United
Way, $17,500
Community
Human Services
Partnership
(CHSP), $401,50
0

16. Repairs and
Transportation- $10,000
Maintenance- $20,550
Professional fees- Board Recruitment
and Training- $3,000
$6,500
Supplies, Postage$22,045
Insurance- $27,000
Occupancy Expense$128,000
Payroll-$520,905
Direct Assistance-$267,000
Payments to Local and
National Orgs.- $2,915

17. Direct
Assistance, $36,
000
Compensation
and
Benefits, $50,00
0

18. Requests $55,000 for The Shelter Health Clinic
Program, to insure the continuation of critical
services to the homeless in Leon County
•
The Shelter Health Clinic Program Budget is $91,000
• The request to CHSP for $55,000 which will cover the
nurses’ wages. The Shelter will raise the remaining funds to
complete the program budget. The community has always
responded with collecting the vital over-the-counter
medications, or contributing to our emergency services
program to purchase prescriptions and other medical
needs.