DAVENPORT, Iowa — The Salvation Army has seen the Quad Cities' homeless population increase in the last few years.
Operations Director Kelle Larned says there are many factors to attribute the rise to.
"What we're seeing is an increase of people are getting evicted," Larned said. "People are struggling to make ends meet. Many are able to pay rent but food is costing more and if an unexpected bill comes in, sometimes that can be the factor of them losing their home."
With the cost of living going up, more people are turning to the Salvation Army for help.
"I currently have 30 to 40 families right now that are waiting to come into the shelter," Larned added. "We have currently around 220 people in the shelter and it continues to be difficult to provide the resources they need."
The Salvation Army was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Regional Development Authority. Larned says "it's a blessing" to receive the grant but fears the money will not last due to the lack of donations coming in.
"If you asked me how much money we would need to keep up with the demand, it's probably millions," Larned said. "Everybody is tight with money and if anyone has the chance to give a little, we can use that money to make a difference in the community."
The money will be used to pay for people's rent. The organization hopes to receive more donations in the near future to keep up with demand.
If you are interested in donating to the QC Salvation Army, click here.
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