By: Diana Johnsen
djohnsen@kcautv.com
Friendship House.
It's more than just a place to play some pool.
"This place is like my family to me. It is my release. It makes me forget about my problems," said Daymon Crabb, a member of the Friendship House.
For over 30 years, Friendship House located on Court Street in Sioux City, has been serving those in Siouxland with mental health issues.
It's here where people like Daymon come to interact with others and share their struggles.
"I just know that I can come here and reach out to one of my friends. My friends will be there for me, and they'll help get me through the day."
But now the place where Daymon finds comfort, could be no more.
Right now, the Friendship House depends on the Woodbury County mental health fund, money that comes from property taxes, and there's a limit on just how much they can get from those taxes.
"We try to stretch a dollar really far. We try to do things as inexpensively as possible," said Kathy Roberts, Friendship House Manager.
Woodbury County is meeting next Tuesday to discuss the future budget of its mental health fund, and not knowing what their funding will look like is a question on the minds of many at Friendship House.
"This is an amazing program that impacts so many people and the thought of us not being here would be detrimental to our community," added Roberts.
Until it knows the exact details about its funding, the Friendship House is going to stay optimistic so that people like Daymon can keep getting by with a little help from his friends.
