An emergency shelter for homeless families in 11 southeast Kansas counties is expected to close at the end of March.

The CHOICES shelter in Pittsburg is operated by the Southeast Kansas Community Action Program and serves about 300 people a year.

Officials of the nonprofit organization announced plans for the closing this week. They cited a steep cut in Community Services Block Grant funding from the Kansas Housing Resources Corp.

Program officials told The Morning Sun  in Pittsburg the shelter has depended on the block grant to cover its annual shortfall of about $190,000.

The nonprofit is looking at ways to house people who have depended on the shelter. Officials said they also wanted to give the shelter’s employees adequate notice that their jobs will be ending March 31.
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