DUBOIS – Kevin Smith, on behalf of the Haven House, recently sought financial assistance for the shelter from the Sandy Township Supervisors. Haven House is a short-term shelter for residents in Clearfield, Jefferson and Elk counties.
The shelter is staffed 24 hours a day and has helped 734 people over the last decade of operation. It is not rare for individuals to arrive with all they own in a plastic bag, Smith said.
According to him, admission is completed through referral from social service agencies, police, hospitals and Veterans Affairs. Background checks are also performed beforehand to avoid accepting actively addicted individuals or those who have been convicted of violent crimes.
Haven House has an operating cost of $89,000 that is raised through local support, he said. Smith indicated that they have already approached Clearfield County for assistance but were referred to Sandy Township and DuBois City. He then asked the supervisors to contribute $3,000.