Local shelter struggles to keep doors open for homeless

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A local shelter is having to cut back because of increases in utility bills and decreases in donations.

Sylvia Winston opened Premier Palace in 2007 and has been operating ever since.

"I saw a lady living in a box, so I decided to open up a shelter," Winston said.

Winston houses 25 women between her two women and children shelters, and she has a third shelter for men which currently houses 10 individuals.

However, the economic times are making it hard for her to pay her utility bills. The shelter operates fully on donations which provide most of the food, toiletries, and clothes the clients use. However, she comes out of pocket for building maintenance and bills. The increase in utility bills is making it more difficult for Winston to provide other necessities to her clients.

"We have a roof over our heads, and the adults in the house and the children as well, and I think if this place closed down, it would be a shame because we need this," said Tamara Tindall, one of the clients at Premier Palace. "We need the stability."

Winston also works closely with the Fort Wayne Police Department. She often takes in people who are just getting out of prison or jail and have nowhere to go. Police will call her when they find homeless people on the street,  and together they help get them into a home.

"It's nice to be an officer out on the street and be able to call Sylvia directly on our cell phone, and say 'hey we think we have someone who will be a good fit for your shelter', and she's never turned anyone away that we've asked her to house," said Detective Scott Tegtmeyer of the Fort Wayne Police Department who has worked with Winston for around four years.

Winston also partners with local businesses to help her clients gain employment.