Safe Harbour shelter gets $225K in annual funding from province

The amount of operational money the operators of Safe Harbour youth shelter in Saint John needs to come up with to reopen it in March is now down to $100,000 a year.

The provincial government stepped forward Wednesday with $225,000 in annual funding for six years to help non-profit organization Partners for Youth cover the operating costs of the youth shelter.

Partners forYouth CEO JohnSharpeis confident the organization can come up with the $100,000.

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"So those funds would come from corporate donors, foundations, individual donors, and potentially from events," said Sharpe.

An announcement is likely in a month, he said.

Closed in January

Safe Harbour House was forced to close in January after it was crippled by debt.

However, a recent $650,000 donation from the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton to clear the shelter's debts has made it possible to reopen.

The diocese is leasing the facility to Partners for Youth for $1 a year.

With the bills covered, Sharpe and and new shelter program co-ordinator Susan King can start getting the shelter ready.

"We'd like to provide as normal a home for youth that come here," said King.

Safe Harbour House is scheduled to re-open in March.