KITTANNING, Pa. — A local domestic violence and sexual assault shelter is facing the possibility of closing its doors if the federal government shutdown isn’t resolved in the near future.
HAVIN in Kittanning gets around half of its funding from the Victims of Crime Act, a federal program. That funding could run out by the end of February, which would put the shelter in a difficult place.
"We have 15 staff members that do 24/7 critical, life-saving services. If I don't have them here we're going to have to shut down,” said HAVIN Executive Director Jo Ellen Bowman. "We won't have an emergency shelter in the county of Armstrong."
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The shelter keeps its shelves stocked with food and clothes for families in need.
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"We're concerned about how it's going to impact the people we serve, how they can be safe and how they can feel they can be safe," Bowman said.
Rural domestic violence shelters are largely dependent on federal funds, but money for the program could dry up as early as next month if the shutdown continues.
President Donald Trump did mention funding the Victims of Crime Act in his offer to congressional Democrats over the weekend, but it's unclear if there's an end in sight to the longest shutdown in history.
"We're focusing on the federal employees that are furloughed or those being forced work without pay, which is a huge issue. But I think they need to understand how this is devastating people at the local level," Bowman said.