ST. GEORGE — As of Wednesday, Dixie Care & Share will no longer operate as an emergency shelter, but rather will offer subsidized housing to help employed people who are not yet able to afford the cost of rent or mortgage.
Dixie Care & Share will still be a zero tolerance facility and its new system of housing, named “Independence Campus,” will provide a bed and three meals for $10 a day which totals about $300 per month, Dixie Care & Share Executive Director Jae Maxfield said.
“This way people have a chance to accumulate some assets and save up without being under the gun,” Maxfield said.
This transition arrives just before the opening of the new resource center and homeless shelter, SwitchPoint Community Resource Center, expected to open late August. SwitchPoint will be run by the City of St. George and provide 21 different resources and 64 beds.
Read the full story of the new resource center here: For a better tomorrow; homeless shelter offers 21 services
Unemployed people who are currently staying at Dixie Care & Share will not be required to leave until SwitchPoint opens. However, any newcomers to Dixie Care & Share will not be allowed to stay unless they are employed.
By modifying the Dixie Care & Share facility,” Maxfield said in a press release, “we can provide an inexpensive place for them to live in a supportive environment for an extended time as they continue their journey out of homelessness.”
Housing outside SwitchPoint can be utilized for families who earn a small income but still can’t afford their own apartment. These individuals and families remain homeless, even though they have successfully found a job and are making some money. They just need a little more time and support to become truly independent.
The goal is to help each family graduate from the “Independent Campus” into a traditional apartment or house and be able to achieve self-reliance.
“Dixie Care & Share is ready to complement the homeless shelter services that will be offered by the City of St. George at their new facility,” Maxfield said. “We are excited to be able to offer assistance to clients that have already taken personal initiative.”
Dixie Care & Share will continue to operate as a food bank to serve around 2,500 families per year.
Donations
Costs for adjusting the facility, plus the daily costs of operation, will not be covered by the small fee that will be charged to those living in the Independence Campus. Donations will still be needed and Dixie Care & Share asks that the community that has been supportive in the past, continue to donate money, food and volunteer time.
Donations can be made on the Dixie Care & Share website or mail a check to:
Dixie Care & Share
PO Box 2320
St George, UT 84771
Dixie Care and Share
The mission of Dixie Care & Share is to “Provide food and housing for the homeless and families living in poverty in Washington County and facilitate their self-reliance and independence.” Dixie Care & Share, a 501(c)(3) charity based in St. George Utah, is a community organization created and dedicated to helping families in need. The charity creates a way to bring together community resources to operate food banks in St. George and Hurricane and housing for the homeless in Washington County. Additional client services offered include life skills training, employment and housing counseling, and stranded traveler’s services.
Related posts
- Official name chosen for city’s community resource center; renovation continues
- City Council approves funding for new homeless shelter
- For a better tomorrow; homeless shelter offers 21 services
- Multi-million dollar shelter proposed for Dixie Care & Share
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Wow…this really makes my blood boil. First off, to the writer…do you research anything? Second…let’s state the facts. The facts are that Dixie Care & Share doesn’t have any “daily costs of operation” except for those of salaries…mainly Mr. Maxfield’s. To set the record straight, the city of St. George does not charge Dixie Care & Share ANY utilities…NONE! Also, Dixie Care & Share has nothing to pay for land or housing. They own the property and land it sits on. What does this mean? It means NO “daily costs of operation”. Also, they get donations from the Utah Food Bank for ALL their food. Again, what does this mean? It means NO “daily costs of operation”. So, it BEGS the question: why on earth would the new Dixie Care & Share need donations from the community? Why on earth would they be asking for the public to support them when nothing they collect goes to actually help those who are most in need? Why on earth would anyone consider donating to this organization when all they are doing is lining their own pockets?
It also compels me to ask why our amazing community wouldn’t want to support the new resource center; a center that actually provides classes, resources and tools for people experiencing homelessness to help themselves and work through their circumstance as quickly as possible to become a stable and contributing member of our community. Why wouldn’t we all want to support this? As for this reader, I have been volunteering with the new resource center to help them open as quickly as possible and will continue to donate my time and resources in their endeavor. I encourage all readers who care about their neighbors to do the same.
SmartiePants, your blood boiling has blinded you to the truth in what it takes to run a shelter or business in general. There are all sorts of daily operating costs even if the utilities are paid by the city (if that is actually the case). Cleaning supplies, bedding, kitchen utensils, toiletries, washers, dryers, replacement appliances, damage repairs, office equipment, asphalt repairs, phone service, building upkeep, and the list goes on and on. And if a salary is provided from any funds to Mr. Maxfield, what is wrong with that? I am certain that the director of the new facility will have a salary paid as well. Nothing wrong with that either. And the new Resource Center will have plenty of operating expenses as well. Everything costs something. Also, no where in the article did anyone state that the community shouldn’t support the new Resource Center. It sounds like Dixie Care and Share will be transitioning to a new community service, and not competing with SwitchPoint as a shelter. Support them both; both programs can operate and provide great services to the community.
Sickening and makes me ask, where is the love. $10.00 a day, scary. Why the fee,it just does not make sense to me one iota. As for salaries there are employees there who have not had their wage of $8.00 an hour raised. Years of being there and no raise and they stayed to do what is right and good. Can you really imagine the job market is so vast in St George. Please!