NAMPA, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
As homelessness in the Treasure Valley becomes an increasing issue, a local entity in Canyon County is about to take a hit.
Earlier this week, The Salvation Army of Nampa announced that it will transition its year-round family homeless shelter into a cold weather shelter. The last day for residential shelter services this summer will be July 8, the shelter said in a news release. It will then reopen in November and serve overnight residents during the winter.
While The Salvation Army of Nampa acknowledged that the recent developments may be difficult, the news release said that its team members will “work closely with community partners to help find permanent housing or suitable alternate shelter options.”
It added that employees impacted by the changes will receive a severance package from The Salvation Army along with professional outplacement services.
The family shelter offers a place for mothers, fathers and their children to stay together throughout the year.
Individuals need to have at least one minor child with them to stay at the shelter and single fathers and teens hold a high priority for placement, Salvation Army Capt. Allison Struck said.
There are only two shelters in the area — the Nampa shelter and Interfaith Sanctuary’s hotel shelter in Boise — where single fathers and families with children are able to shelter together.
Compounding matters is Interfaith Sanctuary’s hotel shelter is facing a similar set of circumstances and could face possible closure in March 2025, according to Executive Director Jodi Peterson-Stigers.
She said that Interfaith is working on a number of options in an effort to keep the hotel shelter open until its new shelter on State Street — a housing-first model offering day and night shelter services — opens at some point in September 2025.
The cold weather shelter in Nampa will provide the same services as its family shelter, only from November to March as long as funding permits.
Additionally, Nampa’s day shelter will remain open to everyone year-round. The Salvation Army of Nampa is looking to expand daytime services from four days a week to seven, so individuals in need can come in for services such as meals, showers and laundry. Struck said the plan is for that expansion to take place by the end of July.
Struck said that the residential portion of The Salvation Army of Nampa has historically been a cold weather shelter.
It received government funding during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, which allowed it to expand to a year-round operation. Those funds ran out in early 2023, Struck said.
The lack of secure, sustainable funding is why it is transitioning back to its original format. This is unfolding while homelessness continues to emerge as a pressing issue in the region.
Families throughout the Treasure Valley apply for placement at The Salvation Army of Nampa, Struck said. She added that in Nampa, there are over 1,200 children and their parents who find themselves in unsustainable living situations. Those conditions can include couch surfing, living out of a car or RV, or residing in a motel.
“We know it from our research, and I think that’s a conservative number,” Struck said.
She said because of those growing numbers, The Salvation Army and many of its partnering and neighboring agencies are working to get in front of the issue “so it isn’t the epidemic that you see in other cities throughout the nation.”
“Nampa experienced so much growth so fast in the past five years,” Struck said. “Because of other economic factors, it has left families struggling. Many of the families we see are working families, but it’s not enough income to help them keep up with increasing costs just across the board.”
Struck said that the shelter has been operating at its max capacity for years. While that was at a reduced number during the pandemic, it currently sits at 14 rooms that can house about 48 to 55 people.
“We always have a waiting list,” she said.
Mike Christophersen is a Caldwell resident who said he has been living out of his truck in recent weeks.
Christophersen said he has been utilizing the day shelter in Nampa to take care of life’s day-to-day essentials.
“It’s been amazing,” he said. “It allows me to take showers, clean up, do applications for job work. Also do laundry, so I have clean clothes for the week.”
Although Christophersen doesn’t stay overnight at the facility, he said the loss of the year-round family shelter is significant.
“You can’t have kids in your car — I don’t care if it’s summer or winter. It’s kids. They can’t be shoved in a car full time,” he said. “It should be open year-round.”
With that as the backdrop, Struck said re-establishing an 12-month shelter is possible with a sustainable funding plan.
As an example, Struck said if 2,000 people in Nampa gave $30 a month as a recurring gift, the shelter could be operational all year.
Go online to bit.ly/4c6nwUw to make a donation to The Salvation Army of Nampa.
“It’s not an unsolvable problem,” she said. “That’s what The Salvation Army will continue to pursue,” she added. “It’s on hiatus.”
With that, Struck emphasized the importance of community awareness. "We do have to keep telling the story, because it’s not as obviously visible as it is in other communities,” she said.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET NEWS FROM KTVB:
Download the KTVB News Mobile App
Apple iOS: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Watch news reports for FREE on YouTube: KTVB YouTube channel
Stream Live for FREE on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching 'KTVB'.
Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
