Shutdown Of 138-Year-Old Social Service Group A ‘Heartbreaking Loss,’ Volunteer Says

UPTOWN — Heartland Human Care Services will close Dec. 31 after 138 years of service, citing federal funding cuts and unexpected unemployment insurance costs. The nonprofit announced the closure in a post Tuesday on its adult literacy program’s website. The notice, signed by Sarah Moss, a staff member and volunteer facilitator for the program, said Heartland hopes to transfer students and tutors to other organizations. “This is a heartbreaking loss for our volunteers, participants, staff, and the communities we serve,” Moss wrote. In a statement emailed Thursday, Heartland Human Care Services said federal funding cuts had led to workforce reductions affecting more than half of its employees. The organization also faces an unexpected unemployment insurance liability tied to the scale of those reductions, it said. Those financial pressures, combined with reduced funding and limited reserves, have made continued operations unsustainable despite efforts to keep services runnin