- Advantage Services, a Utah nonprofit employing over 100 homeless individuals, faces closure.
- CEO Rob Ferris said the organization seeks about $750,000 by Nov. 1 to avoid a shutdown or a merger.
- The nonprofit’s financial struggles also impact state services; discussions for solutions are ongoing.
SALT LAKE CITY — A longtime Utah social enterprise nonprofit that employs more than 100 people experiencing homelessness and other challenges has furloughed almost all of its staff — and it’s days away from shutting down completely if it doesn’t get an infusion of cash by the end of the month.
“We’re going to drown unless somebody jumps in and saves us,” Advantage Services CEO Rob Ferris said.
Advantage Services — which has a variety of service contracts with the state, Salt Lake City, homeless service providers and other organizations — had recently employed about 125 people. But starting on Oct. 12, Ferris said he had to furlough 110 employees for three weeks as a last-ditch effort to keep the company afloat after not being able to make payroll…