GIVING · 4 MIN READ
What $35 a month actually does.
By Priya Anand, Director of Development
People ask us what a gift of $35 really pays for. It is a fair question, and we would rather show our math than ask you to trust a slogan.
One safe night, itemized
It costs Porch & Latch about $35 to shelter one person for one night. Roughly $13 of that is staffing: the overnight team and the case manager who meets each new guest on day one. About $9 covers three meals. Around $8 keeps the building warm, lit, clean, and insured. The last $5 goes to laundry, bedding, bus passes, and the small things that are never small when you do not have them, like a phone charger or a pair of dry socks.
Why monthly matters more than you would think
A shelter cannot close for a slow month. The beds are full in February whether or not a fundraiser happened in January. When 140 Lamplighters each give $35 a month, that is 140 safe nights we can count on before the month begins. It lets us keep steady staff instead of scrambling, and it lets us say yes when a family calls at 7 p.m.
Where the rest comes from
Individuals and churches are our largest source of support, alongside public grants, foundations, and events. Eighty four cents of every dollar goes straight to programs.
What it adds up to
Last year those nights added up to 14,600. More important, 82% of the neighbors who stayed with us moved on to stable housing. The bed is the start. The next step is the point.
If you would like to cover one night a month, you can become a Lamplighter. If a one-time gift fits better right now, that keeps the light on too.