Six months ago the nonprofit social service agency launched a campaign to raise $4.5 million to pay off mortgages on five properties in Oceanside and Escondido, so more money could be devoted to services for low-income, homeless or underserved residents.

The agency is now within $1.5 million of its goal.

Once those funds are found, Interfaith will pay off the mortgage on a 72-bed transitional housing complex for homeless veterans in Oceanside, said Greg Anglea, the agency’s director of development.

The drive has already paid off mortgages on four housing projects in Escondido and San Marcos that serve families, battered women and the mentally ill.

Anglea said the campaign was launched at a critical time.

Compared to the same period two years ago, “we’ve had a 52 percent increase in the number of people coming through our doors every day with people needing food, shelter and other services, and a frighteningly similar 54 percent decrease in funding,” he said.

In the last fiscal year, the agency served 33,700 people, Anglea said.

With the mortgages paid off, the agency will free up $370,000 a year in its $9.5 million annual operating budget to spend on services to an increasingly stressed clientele struggling to find footing during the recession.

“That’s almost 4 percent of the whole budget. That’s massive,” Anglea said.

The final push has been aided by the Leichtag Family Foundation, which has issued a grant of up to $1 million to match any other donations.

The transitional housing for homeless veterans — the remaining mortgage yet to be retired — opened a year and a half ago in three apartment buildings near downtown Oceanside. In that time, 91 men and women have graduated successfully, which is defined as having a steady income, permanent housing to move to and the demonstrated ability to live independently. Anglea said that’s a success rate of 79 percent.

The program offers the veterans job training, counseling, life-skills programs, substance abuse treatment and other help.

“I don’t know what I would have done without them,” Travis Carter said.

Carter was stationed at Camp Pendleton when he completed his eight years of service in the Marine Corps in May 2008. He and his wife, who is a Marine, split up. By December 2008, Carter was without a job, with nowhere to live and in despair over his inability to care for his three young children.

“I didn’t have anywhere to go. It was just me and my truck,” he said.

Carter stayed at Interfaith’s Oceanside facility for a year while he got his life back on track. He now is working full time, attends MiraCosta College and, in April, moved into a two-bedroom apartment.

“Interfaith helped me set goals so I could see what I was slacking on and what progress I had made. That helped me to not get so down on myself,” he said. “I was able to save $8,000 there so now I have an apartment and a place for my kids. That was my biggest goal.”

via Social service agency’s fundraising on track – SignOnSanDiego.com.