LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) – A homeless shelter in Lawton which has been around for years is now in need of funding.
C Carter Crane is a homeless shelter that has been around since 1985 but like many people, they are also seeing the impact of rising costs and inflation.
“They really have been there, they are really helping out with things like that but they really are limited and I feel like if they had proper funding they could go a long long way,” said Doyle.
The shelter has helped hundreds of families like single mom Jazmine Doyle.
They can house up to 28 people and can also provide additional services like utility and rental assistance.
Executive director Cheryl Gregory said helping those who need it is becoming harder for them to do.
“It costs more to operate, so that’s where we need help from our community to help us with getting more resources to provide to our community to keep our shelter open,” said Gregory.
Gregory said they only receive federal and state funding once a year in April, which isn’t enough.
If the shelter doesn’t receive the funding they need, they may have to reduce its services.
“We don’t want to shut down, that is not the goal here, the goal is to remain open because we know this is a vital need in our community,” she said.
Shelter director, Jasmine Cry said the Shelter is more than a place to stay, they provide essential services like hygiene products, food, clothing, transportation, and medical care.
Sometimes people come by and they see that it’s a shelter, they think everything is supplemented and given just freely, but to run something at this magnitude it does cost,’’ said Cry.
Cry said C Carter Crane is the only homeless shelter in Southwest Oklahoma with a 6-week program for their residents.
“So being able to get someone in for 6 weeks, get them stable, give them transitional housing, giving them resources, it does take the community to help keep this pillar afloat,” she said.
Doyle said she couldn’t imagine what her life would be like if the shelter wasn’t around.
“I really hope in ten years they’ll still be here, my son’s young he won’t remember being here, but I do hope the legacies they have put in place into building these families, and holding these families, and keeping and embracing these families can be put back into them,” said Doyle.
If you’re interested in donating you can contact them through their website, mail, or in person at 1203 SW Texas in Lawton.
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