Many people find themselves in a homeless situation due to circumstances beyond their control and lack of affordable housing only magnifies the problem. The Shelter of Flint provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent housing with affordable rent for those who qualify. They have been providing basic needs to the most vulnerable since 1983. Today, over 60 percent of the residents that stay at the shelter are under the age of 10.

The Shelter of Flint staff are heroes in the community.  With the mantra, “your current situation in not your permanent situation,” staff work with residents on life skills, employability training, transportation, and breaking down barriers for permanent housing. Many lives have been transformed through their work.

During the Shelter of Flint’s annual breakfast, representatives from The Hagerman Foundation witnessed personal stories of success. One was a family who came upon hard times and growing medical bills lost their home. They were living out of their van before finding refuge at the shelter. Their time there allowed them to rebuild their lives, and they now live in permanent housing.

Strategic in their proposal for support, the Shelter of Flint sought to leverage dollars through a challenge grant. This resulted in The Hagerman Foundation awarding a $25,000 grant that leveraged $75,000 in direct support of the Shelter of Flint.

“The reality is, many people are living paycheck to paycheck and are one disaster away from homelessness,” said Becky Foerster, executive director of The Hagerman Foundation. “The shelters in Genesee County have waiting lists, but through collaborative work and donations by many, we can help change that narrative.”