Youth shelter to be closed as of Nov. 30
Memo cites a “lack of funding from the Bossier Parish Police Jury” as the reason
BOSSIER PARISH, La. (KSLA) — Johnny Gray Jones Youth Shelter in Bossier Parish will officially be closed starting Nov. 30.
The youth shelter has been open for 30 years and holds about 30 children. It has been used to house runaways and youths accused of low-level crimes. The facility has been managed by the Ware Youth Center, out of Coushatta, for the past decade.
The shelter’s closure was stated in a memo dated Oct. 25 that Ware Youth Center Executive Director Staci Scott sent to shelter staffers. It cites a “lack of funding from the Bossier Parish Police Jury” as the reason for the shutdown.
“Your hard work and dedication to the residents we have served over the years is appreciated,” the missive reads.
According to parish attorney Patrick Jackson, the cost to maintain the shelter is $750,000 to $1 million a year.
There’s typically a population of 10-14 kids at any one time, but Bossier’s usage has only been one to two kids per month as of recent.
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