ST. GEORGE — Officials at Dixie Care & Share announced Friday the closure of its facility on 300 West in St. George effective Wednesday as its services will be consolidated into SwitchPoint Community Resource Center.
“Dixie Care & Share was the only game in town for decades and served our community well,” Carol Hollowell, SwitchPoint executive director, said. “We at SwitchPoint are now ready to pick up their services and hope to expand to better serve, especially in providing more affordable housing.”
The two centers serving the homeless population of St. George are essentially consolidating resources, Tim Martin, board member of both Dixie Care & Share and SwitchPoint, said in a press statement issued Friday.
“This consolidation of Dixie Care & Share with SwitchPoint brings our community closer to one-stop giving,” Martin said. “Soon, a St. George resident who wants to make a donation to help families in need can give to a single organization. Right now, SwitchPoint is becoming that organization.”
Martin revealed some impressive statistics about Dixie Care & Share, saying over 20,000 people have spent the night at Dixie Care & Share, and over 30 million pounds of food have been given to families in need.
David Dangerfield, Dixie Care & Share board member, said not only will the services improve, but now a focus can be placed on building affordable housing in Washington County.
“That is the big need,” he said, “now that SwitchPoint is up and running so well.”
Another board member, Adam Dunn, echoed Dangerfield’s sentiments.
“I am sad to see the doors close,” Dunn said. “However, with Dixie Care & Share merged into SwitchPoint, others and I can focus on building affordable housing here in St. George. When we can fill that need, then I will be even more excited about SwitchPoint’s range and quality of services being delivered in our wonderful town.”
While current residents of Dixie Care & Share’s housing are being moved into new housing arranged by SwitchPoint, employees of Dixie Care & Share are being helped in their search for new jobs by SwitchPoint’s employment services.
With the needs of the residents and employees being addressed and SwitchPoint’s new pantry opening next week, Dixie Care & Share will end an over 30-year run of helping the homeless and less fortunate in St. George.
“This shift to SwitchPoint became inevitable as they provided more and better services than our old facilities could provide,” Franqui Banuelos, who has worked at Dixie Care & Share for five years, said. “It’s all good.”
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