A Bloomington transitional shelter is getting $150,000 in new funding, the Bloomington City Council announced Wednesday night.
The Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association has promised $150,000 for the shelter previously known as Martha's House, District Five City Councilmember Darryl Neher said during the council meeting.
The Shalom Center is now running the shelter. Martha's House, which provided temporary housing for homeless Monroe, Lawrence and Owen county residents, lost its tax-exempt status last year after failing to file the proper paperwork.
Neher said the BUEA is also promising dollar-for-dollar matching funds up to $200,000 starting on Jan. 1.
"They understood that $150,000 may give us a year, but if we want to provide hope for the long-term stability of this operation that we needed more," Neher said. "We're talking about a total commitment of $550,000."
Neher said this is the first time in his memory that "a transitional shelter will be put on stable grounds," adding that the funds could keep the shelter running for several years.