Kevin Freeman, who has been homeless since March, said he's on his way to getting back on his feet thanks to the New Hope Day Center, but soon the facility might close.
"(The shelter) has been such a godsend and such a blessing," he said.
The 31-year-old said he uses the homeless shelter for meals, employment help and a place to relax.
On July 1, the shelter, 430 N. Larch St. in Lansing, might not be able to help Freeman and other homeless people restore their lives.
Patrick Patterson, director of operations at the center, said Volunteers of America-Michigan needs to raise about $250,000 to keep the shelter running.
But Sharon Dade, senior manager of social services at the shelter, said the issues go beyond money.
"It's a community problem," she said. "Our community has to be willing to take care of all of its citizens, including the homeless citizens."
The shelter helped 1,974 homeless people last year, with each person using the shelter 14 times on average, Patterson said.
People come to the shelter with a wide range of needs, and the shelter brings many resources to one place to give homeless people better access to them, Patterson said.
"Some people will be here everyday, all day, while others will be here two to three hours, " he said. "It's one-stop shopping for the homeless."
At New Hope, people can find skills training, counseling, health services and other important services from nine agencies.
Londell Mitchell, who started cutting hair at the shelter Monday, said something as simple as a haircut can be important in helping a person recover.
"It really lifts people up," he said. "When you wake up with a good haircut, it makes you feel good about yourself."
Dade, who has been involved with the center for three years, said homeless people are very vulnerable, but New Hope provides stability for them.
"It's hard for the homeless to have a voice and feel safe," she said.
New Hope helped Freeman find a job with its various resources, but before that they helped him by simply welcoming him, he said. After spending time in jail, he said it was good to hear them say they had no problem aiding him.
"I came saying, 'I just want a place to lay my head and a place to get myself together,'" he said. "I have yet to meet anyone who has been negative."
Unless the shelter can find funding, it might not be able to continue aiding homeless citizens. Dade said it's hard to watch the shelter struggle and that citizens have a moral obligation to help the homeless.
"This is a place where the homeless are used to coming," she said. "To switch gears breaks a lot of trust boundaries."
The center is taking measures to try and raise awareness of New Hope's plight. More than 40 people, employees and clients of New Hope, marched from the shelter to Lansing City Hall, 124 W. Michigan Ave., carrying signs. Several members of the group - including Patterson - said they planned to speak at the City Council meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday.
Randy James, who has been homeless for six years, said he wanted to stress the importance of the shelter to the homeless.
"If it wasn't for these facilities, they would be out here," James said, pointing to the street as he marched. "If they close this down, the city will have to help them."
If the center does close at the end of June, Dade said it will become a night shelter where resources will not be available.
Freeman said he'd have to resort to wandering around the library or the mall when he wasn't working; also, the loss of New Hope's support could derail his progress.
"Jobs won't last forever," he said. "If that disappears, I could end up taking a couple steps backwards."
