The Shalom Community Center says it's received nearly double the amount of funding needed to extend its hours to seven days a week. It's part of an initiative aimed at addressing issues related to homelessness in Bloomington.
The center needed at least $65,000 to extend its hours for one year, but Executive Director Forrest Gilmore says between private sector and local government contributions, they've received about $115,000 in funding. Kilroy's, IU Credit Union and Cook Group all donated money to the cause and the Monroe County Commissioners allocated funding for Shalom earlier this week.
"One of the great things about this extra funding is it will allow us to do a little more with staffing," Gilmore says.
Gilmore says the goal is for new staff to be hired and the center to be open seven days a week by Oct. 1.
The funding will allow Shalom to maintain those hours for at least the next year, but Gilmore says anything beyond that will require additional funding.