SANFORD, Fla. — Seminole County’s only emergency homeless shelter is asking to double the amount of money they’ve received from the county this year.

Leaders at Rescue Outreach Mission of Central Florida say while they already received $200,000 this year, they need another $200,000, as the costs to stay open continue to rise and funds from the American Rescue Plan Act have stopped.

Executive Director Chris Ham shared while they have enough funding in their reserves to last them six months, he doesn’t know what this year will bring, which is why he’d like more funding.

The shelter put 250 people in permanent homes last year and have already helped 45 this year, but Ham says it is a process that is getting more and more expensive to keep up.

While their caseworks work seven days a week to get people in homes, their 120 bed shelter is nearly full every night with a long waitlist.

“All of us are experiencing our insurance costs go up every year, our food costs, our utility costs, a payroll and labor, everything’s going up,” said Ham.

Last week Ham went in front of county commissioners to request the funding, arguing that since 2021, they’ve doubled the amount of people they serve and the meals they provide.

“We don’t want to have to change our model and put people on the streets,” said Ham. “That used to be the model here, and that’s the model in other shelters that every morning 7 a.m. or 8 a.m., 120 people would be released out into the community and that’s not what we want to do, because that’s not a dignified solution.”

Chairman Jay Zembower pushed back, stating the county has already given the shelter millions, and given their reserves, he’d like to see the nonprofit focus on fundraising the funds themselves.

While Ham said their fundraising is still strong for the moment, their funds can’t all come from once source.

“With the new state law that’s come out, it’s incumbent upon the county and the municipalities to have a safe place for those to go that are experiencing homelessness,” said Ham. “It’s going to take all of us coming together and working together to alleviate this problem.”

Ham will bring a formal request to the commissioners this summer.

To donate to Rescue Outreach Misson, click here.