Posted on: 9:58 pm, April 14, 2013, by Shelby Brown, updated on: 06:31am, April 15, 2013

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) Its been a fixture in the community, providing food and shelter for our areas homeless. Now workers with Freedom House are preparing for the doors to close for good. Due to lack of funding, Freedom House leaders decided to cease operations by the end of April.

The Board of Directors said it could no longer financially support; the Conrad Center, a feeding program; the Community shelter, a transitional housing service and Seans Place, a housing program that supports permanent relocation.

Board chairman Mark Cipolletti said members are devastated it came to this. He said the financial challenges couldnt be overcome. He said their biggest concern is that many of the people they serve are homeless men and women who have higher barriers like those who are trying to overcome addictions and clients who are just out of jail.

Cipolletti said theyre now on a mission to transition their clients to other housing services and to agencies that can afford to feed those in need.

Not only the economy, but money from faith-based organizations has gone down as they struggle to get their own donations from their congregations. Donations from individual donors are down as well, so its coming at us from multiple angles, Cipolletti said.

Ronald Miller is sad to see the agency close its doors. He was once homeless and in 2008 was taken in by the people who run Freedom House.

Miller said hes tried to pay it forward since then and has worked part-time at The Conrad Center helping out as a day shelter worker.

There, the Soup Kitchen feeds thousands of people every year. In fact, 48,000 meals were served to the homeless from2010-2011.

Miller said hes praying for a miracle and hopes that corporate entities and others in the community would rally to keep Freedom House closing.

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Freedom House to shut down for good