The fate of employees and programs at the city’s safe haven for troubled youth will be written over the next five days.
Without a miracle, Youth Emergency Shelter Society officials will be forced to make tough decisions: Layoffs or slashes to programs, spokeswoman Sue Keating said yesterday.
The group is roughly $330,000 short of the holiday campaign goal of $1 million.
“It’s not surprising to us, but (donations) have dropped off drastically,” Keating said.
In the week before Christmas, YESS raked in $220,260 by donations. Last week, the charity received $33,012. So few dollars were donated Friday that staff decided to forego a daily bank deposit.
Over 50 people are full-time YESS employees. As the shelter operates 24/7, salaries are the biggest expense incurred by the charity, Keating said.
YESS is on a hiring freeze, and are only hiring staff for positions deemed essential. No employees to leave the organization since May have been replaced.
“Overall, it’s an investment in these kids, who are the most vulnerable part of the community.”
