09/10/2026
A Snapshot of what it takes to be Successful at Samaritan House!!
Many people ask - what and how will we prepare for winter, the future and cost it takes to operate? Here is a glimpse of the reality and approximate cost to operate a homeless community center to be successful. It is not a perfect formula, but an approximate. The world is getting more expensive, so the cost of operating keeps going up!
First; if you haven’t heard, Samaritan House needs to fix past debts before our time for us to move forward; How to pay off debt? Sell our building, pay off debt from building sell, relocate/rebuild and restart fresh. This debt is impacting Samaritan Houses now and in the future. Federal Government will not fund with a debt to the government. It’s Reality!!
Our operational team—from Administration and shelter staff—are the engines of our shelter success. They handle crisis de-escalation, medical emergencies, community food distribution, prepare and distribute daily meals, manage overnight safety, maintain a secure environment and provide case/social work, and all administration work. Simply put, without paid staff present, our doors cannot open, meals cannot be served, and immediate impact programs cannot operate.
The professionals who work in this environment know how difficult it is difficult. What staff must deal with from stress and burnout takes a small village to make it all work successful and be paid fairly.
We need a minimum of 2 qualified staff per shift ALWAYS. 3 is better. Safety is crucial. And it is even better if we have at least one volunteer added to our 2/3 staff schedule would be amazing.
Volunteering is great but we MUST have paid staff on schedule to operate and oversee all operations for accountability, compliance, and insurance reasons.
Approximate for overall cost depending on 12/18/24 hours, 5 days administration and 7 days a week shelter staff – bills, salary, operations, taxes, staff, etc. -- approximately $25,000 -$45,000 a month. It is not cheap BUT,
It is cheaper and saves money If you have very good and paid fairly - qualified and experienced staff who know how to take care of our guest at a high level and not having to use EMS, Law Enforcement, Courts, Hospitals resources, etc.; which in turn gives more money back to the community for Schools, Roads, Education to name a few.
**Here are examples what shelter staff making $15 hours an hour looks like 12/18/24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Pay does adjust based on salary or hourly position, experience, and time. This does not include monthly bills or taxes we pay in addition monthly**
Premium - during the winter to keep a SINGLE position staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at $15 per hour (168 total hours per week), the base labor cost breaks down as follows:
• Daily: $360 (24 hours × $15/hr)
• Weekly: $2,520 (168 hours × $15/hr)
• Monthly: $10,920 (based on 52 weeks ÷ 12 months)
• Annual: $131,040 (168 hours × 52 weeks × $15/hr)
Plus – Approximately $3500 a month for bills and taxes.
Very Good - 18 hours a day, 7 days a week at $15 per hour (126 total hours per week), the base labor cost breaks down as follows:
• Daily: $270 (18 hours × $15/hr)
• Weekly: $1,890 (126 hours × $15/hr)
• Monthly: $8,190 (based on 52 weeks ÷ 12 months)
• Annual: $98,280 (126 hours × 52 weeks × $15/hr)
Plus – Approximately $3500 a month for bills and taxes.
Minimum - 6pm to 6am to cover 12 hours a day, 7 days a week at $15 per hour (84 total hours per week), the base labor cost breaks down as follows:
• Daily: $180 (12 hours × $15/hr)
• Weekly: $1,260 (84 hours × $15/hr)
• Monthly: $5,460 (based on 52 weeks ÷ 12 months)
• Annual: $65,520 (84 hours × 52 weeks × $15/hr)
Plus – Approximately $3500 a month for bills and taxes.
12 and 18 hours do not reflect reality. COLD is COLD and HOT is HOT and there is no designated hour during winter or summer when we may need to be open and ready. 24/7 works the best and it is a major goal we have in the future to be able to do it.
****Conclusion - donations of food, blankets, and supplies are essential, but without trained staff on site to manage operations and distribute care, those resources cannot reach the people who need them most****
Hope this all helps understand our reality at Samaritan House. We are always in need of donations, food, blankets, hygiene kits, and funding. Reach out if want to volunteer or apply to be on our Board of Directors. Thank you Everyone!!
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