July 8, 2020 10:30 a.m.

Casa de Belen has closed for an undermined amount of time.

The move was announced in a release from the Board of Directors for the youth runaway and homeless shelter, on Tuesday. The release said the non-profit will explore reorganization and sustainability.

Executive Director Kivonna Coccia said “the decision was not made lightly” and said they have been looking at the sustainability of their program for the past few years. Coccia said, “we will continue to fight to give a voice to homeless at-risk youth and their families”.

The release said one of the first activities anticipated during what is being called, a “hiatus with hope”, is collecting meaningful data, including a needs assessment. Coccia said the board is optimistic that the process will help guide the organization to a new vision.

Coccia said, “we know there is a need in the community, but federal and state resources have not been adequately devoted to the issue”. She said it has left many communities to fend for themselves on several fronts. Coccia said there is “an epidemic of couch surfing” which she describes as an unstable and temporary situation, but not a solution.

The release said Casa de Belen has served over 1,300 youth and family members since opening in 2004. It said the staff has provided an environment for youth to stabilize, reach educational goals, resolve conflict and learn management skills. The release said the board is grateful to the staff, volunteers and community partners, “who have devoted so much of their time and resources to serving this growing, vulnerable population of our community”.

Coccia told News Radio 1240 KQEN that the youth who were living at the facility have been transitioned to family, friends or other safe arrangements. She said none of them went back to being homeless.

Coccia said with the facility closed for now, the staff has been laid off. She said the vast majority of them have offered to volunteer during the hiatus, “to help us advance our work forward”.

Coccia will talk more about Casa de Belen and its temporary closure on Inside Douglas County, Friday at 12:30 p.m. on News Radio 1240 KQEN.