The coronavirus continues to change the way businesses operate and many nonprofits could be impacted the most.
The Refinery Mission in Opelousas has already moved shelter residents to other facilities and funding could be scarce.
"We don't know how we'll be impacted as far as when you rely heavily on donations and donors. A lot of businesses are hurt so it's some scary times," says Johnny Carriere, The Refinery Mission's Executive Director.
Carriere says all operations have stopped at their facility. As the coronavirus started to spread across the state, they began taking precautions.
"Right before things got to St. Landry Parish we went on lockdown. We cannot take anyone into our program and this is the case for all programs like this in the region," says Carriere.
The Refinery Mission is a shelter and safe place for men transitioning back into everyday life. Before the shelter in place order, there were about 70 men living at their facility and those most at risk were moved.
"Acadiana Coalition Housing secured funding to be able to put high risk guys in hotel rooms. And if they had a place where they're not around other people, we're offering that to them," says Carriere.
The men who do have symptoms are being housed at their chapel across the street.
"We've set up our chapel as a quarantine area. Anyone one with any symptoms we're moving them across the street," says Carriere.
Carriere says it's hard to determine when things will go back to normal, but they're relying on local agencies to give them direction.
"We want to get back to doing what we do. This is really frustrating for us but we just need to trust the local government and healthcare providers on what out next steps are," says Carriere.
