Donations will keep women's shelter open longer 2.15.11

INDIANAPOLIS STAR

An Indianapolis nonprofit that houses women recovering from addiction last week faced the prospect of closing its doors.

But thanks to an outpouring of community donations and city funding, its future is looking brighter.

Dove Recovery House for Women has received donations of more than $7,000 since Monday, and the city's Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee on Tuesday preliminarily approved $96,000 in emergency funding to be disbursed over the next two years. Without it, the shelter would have had to close in March.

"I'm just really pleased by the outpouring that we've gotten thus far from the community," said Dove Executive Director Maggie Lewis, who also is a City-County Council member.

The city's Metropolitan Development Commission could give final approval to the emergency funding at its March 2 meeting, said Jennifer Fults, an administrator for the Department of Metropolitan Development.

The shelter, a Near-Eastside refuge for women that was founded in 2000, was counting on an annual federal grant of $105,000 for the next three years, but the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development revoked that funding.

Even if it receives emergency funding from the city, Dove House, which spends $10,000 to $13,000 a month to house up to 23 women, still will have to raise more to get through the year.

Fults said the shelter would have to report back to the city on its financial status next fall if it gets the money.

Dove House is ready to take on the challenge, Lewis said.

"By no means does (the new funding) mean we get to sit back and relax."

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