ORLANDO, Fla. – As lawmakers on Capitol Hill remain in a stalemate, the government shutdown is not only impacting workers but also organizations waiting on grants.
The CEO of Harbor House of Central Florida, a domestic violence shelter, says they’re in a state of limbo as they are waiting to receive a $500,000 grant that can change survivors’ lives.
Michelle Sperzel is the CEO of Harbor House of Central Florida and says the federal grant helps break the cycle of domestic abuse.
“With the life of the grant just in these past three years, just in Orange County, we have been able to have 22 survivors and 44 kids,” said Sperzel.
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Sperzel says for the past six years, in partnership with Help Now of Osceola, the federal grant from the Department of Justice has helped provide transitional housing for survivors of domestic violence both in Orange and Osceola County.
When the grant cycle came up, Sperzel says they re-applied for it only to now be put on hold as the government remains shut down.
“We are literally waiting with bated breath to find out if we will be able to receive this grant again with the government being closed. We are just in a holding pattern,” she said.
With the shelter full, the grant allows them to take individuals out of the emergency shelter and into their transitional housing program. Sperzel says in both counties they’ve helped 34 adults and 54 kids get safe new roofs over their heads.
“It’s a game-changer for individuals because we are able to help them with rent, and the lease is in their name. It’s on a sliding scale so as they start to make more money, they can put more money towards the rent,” said Sperzel.
She hopes the government will reopen soon, as survivors in the program also get wrap-around services and a safe path towards a better life.
“The impact that it makes in the lives of survivors is a game-changer,” said Sprezel.
Sperzel says they have around nine people in their emergency shelter waiting for transitional housing. However, she adds, they started a campaign for them to build transitional housing on site, so if something like this happens, they would still have housing for domestic violence survivors.
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