“The discontinuation of Nativity House Day Shelter services are heartbreaking, especially when they are most needed, not just for the unhoused community in Tacoma, but for everyone in Tacoma. 

Eliminating support for the most vulnerable is simply unimaginable. 

I call on Catholic Community Services to limit staff cuts and to manage any necessary reductions in a fair manner that respects both those who require services and those who deliver them.” - Chaplain Sherrilla L Bivens-Mburu BCCC, BCMHC

With the closing of the Day Shelter, neighbors who are experiencing homelessness and townspeople in need of support no longer have: access to a space that fostered and deepened bonds, the community clothing closet, an address to receive mail, and opportunities to be connected to existing resources by caring shelter staff. 

In the narrative surrounding the decisions to reduce programming and staffing, upper management at Catholic Community Services justifies their actions to close the Nativity House Day Center by shifting blame to a lack of access to federal and local funding streams. 

It is true that federal funding cuts created by the current administration play a crucial role in supporting those in need, as demonstrated by the withholding of SNAP/EBT November benefits. 

It is also true that social service agencies who serve vulnerable individuals, children, families, and communities struggling with poverty locally and across the country have been able to locate or cultivate financial support to keep their programming well-resourced and their dedicated staffers working.

Community partners, current CCS employees, guests in need of support, and former CCS staff have experienced the myriad ways CCS leadership prioritizes their own survival and longevity. Leadership is silent while guests face further criminalization through the camping ban extension, withholds information from community partners, fails to communicate service disruptions to guests, eliminates programming and staffing positions in order to maintain their principal interests: themselves, as Tacoma families remain hungry and cold. 

Catholic Community Services leadership is depreciating the benevolence and compassion built by decades of dedicated staff serving the underserved. Leadership is losing sight of the CCS mission, standing on the backs of the wider wellbeing of Tacoma’s most vulnerable community members. 

While the future of EBT/SNAP funding remains uncertain and food access is exacerbated by the Nativity House Day Shelter closure, other Tacoma organizations are moving up to help. 

Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank continues to give food and supplies and host pop-up food giveaways to those in need. See their Facebook or Instagram for location information: https://www.facebook.com/makingadifferencefoundation/ or instagram.com/madfseattle/ 

Additionally, Ahndrea Blue, CEO of Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank is establishing a one-time emergency food delivery program. She asks for patience and urges those interested to sign up at themadf.org/one-time-emergency-food-delivery.

Community support is welcome through financial donations, food donations, or by starting a food drive for Eloise’s Cooking Pot. More info at themadf.org/donate

We ask petition supporters to help our homeless and hungry neighbors by supporting local food banks. We encourage supporters to share this update on their personal social media and with friends and family. 

We stand together!