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OVERCAST Temp: 51 °F Wind: WNW at 7 mph Wednesday, February 19, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 13, 2003 Salvation Army store closes in Ashland Nonprofit groups find it increasingly difficult to pay the rising rents By MYLES MURPHY for the Mail Tribune ASHLAND — In a time when more social services are needed and funding for health and human services is dwindling, Ashland is losing a helpful organization — The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army announced this week it would shut its thrift store in the Ashland Shopping Center by the end of the month. "The Salvation Army has been looking for the last couple of months for a new store location in Ashland," wrote Capt. John Van Cleef in a press release. "The Army would appreciate any and all help with regard to finding a new location in Ashland." Van Cleef was unavailable for additional comment, but Business Administrator Pam Hawkins confirmed the move. "We could not afford that location," Hawkins said. "Our heart is really there (to keep an Ashland store), but at this point we have not found a location." The store has operated at 1668 Ashland St. since 1994, selling discounted second-hand items and giving social-service aid to people in need. "I’m really bummed," said regular patron Rhonda Hynes, picking through a collection of women’s sweaters Friday. "I’m really going to miss them. They do a community service for folks, and this will devastate the community. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they can find a new place in Ashland." But for nonprofit groups, finding a place in Ashland is increasingly difficult with the rising rents and land costs. "The overhead cost is always a part of the budget organizations have to balance with their mission," Ashland City Councilwoman Cate Hartzell said. "As our cost of being and living in Ashland rises, that is a stressor for those organizations trying to help." Even for groups that own rather than rent offices — such as the Interfaith Care Community of Ashland on Second Street — the pressure is on. "Of course the cost of land in Ashland creates a problem for everyone," ICCA Director Sharon Schrieber said. "We still owe on the property (on Second Street) and our concerns are the same as everyone’s. Every day is a leap of faith." The hardship is just one more on the pile weighing down human-service groups in the city, according to Schrieber. "It’s very difficult to provide the human services any population of any size needs," she said. "It’s virtually impossible given the funding any of us has." As a result, ICCA’s hope of someday creating a transitional home for families and people in need in the city seems a far-off dream. "We pray every night somebody with a large discrete income will come in and buy us a house," Schrieber said. "So far it hasn’t happened." Another nonprofit group trying to get off the ground — Youthfocus — is running into similar problems. Youthfocus came close to realizing its goal of creating a shelter for homeless youth in the city in December when a house was donated to the group. However, a donation of land for the house never materialized, fouling the deal. "We couldn’t find a lot to put the house on, but we’re still looking," Youthfocus Project Coordinator Laura Blackfeather said. "Where has the community support gone in this town?" With many state and federal funding sources threatened, Blackfeather and others said they would like to see more support from the business community. "Businesses focus more on making money than helping," Blackfeather said. "Those of us who want to help are getting squelched. What will happen to the community then?" Myles Murphy is a reporter for the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 482-3456 Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S