Share Center Calls For Help Amid Financial Struggles

There are many great organizations in Southwest Michigan that help out veterans, senior citizens, individuals, and families who are in need. But many of these organizations have had their funding cut this year because of the impacts of the actions taken by DOGE.

Because funding has been cut, the majority of the money is having to come from a local level, which is nowhere near the amount they would’ve received from the government. One such organization located here in Southwest Michigan is the Share Center at 120 Grove St. in Battle Creek.

What Is The Share Center In Battle Creek?

This organization provides resources for recovery for vulnerable people experiencing issues with homelessness, mental health, and or addiction, and services veterans, seniors, individuals, and families alike.

They put out an urgent plea recently, stating that their cash reserves are almost completely wiped out and will soon have to take out a line of credit to cover expenses for the year. They are now concerned that there is a possibility that the community could one day be without the Share Center:

Where will the thousands of veterans, seniors, individuals, and families we serve every year go for meals, day shelter, recovery services, and case management? How many people will die from hypothermia, overdoses, and mental health crises? We serve over 55,000 meals a year that would no longer be available to people in need. As people lose their SNAP and Medicaid benefits, the numbers will skyrocket.

They're also concerned that if something happens to their center, it will mean more hard times for the Battle Creek community:

How will downtown businesses be affected? How much more money will we end up spending on jails, ERs, and extra policing? Our organization runs on a budget of less than $600K/year. That is a lot less expensive than what our community will spend if the SHARE Center doesn't stay open 365 days/year.

How To Donate To The Share Center in Battle Creek.

If you're interested in helping out the Share Center, you can donate here.