(WHAS11) — The only homeless shelter in Southern Indiana is battling to stay open after news it would shut down earlier this week.
The Haven House in Jeffersonville is home to 60 people a day.
On Friday, the previous owner, Barbara Anderson announced she will take over again. With help they raised the $8,800 necessary to buy it back; half of it is grant money from a the Homeless Voice Shelter in Florida. The other half will come from donors in the community.
Executive Director Barbara Anderson lost the property after an IRS auction in March. Anderson owed more than $300,000 in back payroll taxes.
She says David Brown of Kentuckiana Roofing Company acted as a good Samaritan. He bought the shelter at auction and repaired the roof.
Anderson tells us Brown was influenced by the Salvation Army of New Albany and Volunteers of America to give up the shelter.
She says there’s not enough funding for homeless shelters in Southern Indiana.
Barbara Anderson, Executive Director Haven House: “They have no authority. For them to have done this is really unspeakable,” Anderson said. “But that’s OK and we don’t begrudge David Brown and we think Major Kiger of the Salvation Army was doing the best they could do and believe they were doing the best thing. I’ve been doing battle in the southern Indiana area for homelessness my whole career. It’s nothing new to me.”
“When we were told this week that it was closing, I was terrified,” Allyson Chapman, a Mother said. “When we were told yesterday that it was staying open I had a flood of relief because at least we still have got beds, we can take showers and our children don’t have to go to school dirty.”
Anderson estimates she owes the IRS $68,000 in back payroll taxes.
She adds that her staff hasn’t been paid since January and they’re keeping it open because of their passion to help homeless families.