Turning Point, the non-profit group that helps the homeless and near homeless in Wareham, is one step closer to getting $15,000 in much needed aid.

State Rep. Susan Williams Gifford (R-Wareham) announced Monday that the budget amendment she filed for Turning Point Day Resource Center for the Homeless and Near Homeless in Wareham was adopted by the House during the Fiscal Year 2015 budget debate last week.

The earmark in the category of Labor and Economic Development states that no less than $15,000 shall be expended for Turning Point.

“It was important this year to try to get Turning Point some much needed state assistance,” Gifford said. “This funding will help them to keep up with the ever growing demand of their services due to escalating numbers individuals and families having difficulty meeting their financial obligations.”

Due to the poor economy, the number of people who use Turning Point's services is increasing, said Turning Point co-director Marcine Fernandes at a February fundraiser. She said Turning Point used to get 30 or 40 people over the course of a winter looking for help with paying for heat. That number has now doubled.

Fernandes and co-director Lee McDonald said the number of homeless looking for help has increased, but the majority of their clients are people who are one step away from homelessness and need help with paying for rent, heat, gas or food.

"It's in our best interest to keep these people working and help them not become homeless," Fernandes said.

The co-directors said a lot of the people who used the services to get back on their feet return to volunteer at fundraisers or make donations to Turning Point.

The $15,000 in state aid would be almost double the $7,900 Turning Point received in donations after WCTV Applause for a Cause fundraiser in February.

Gifford has secured funds for Turning Point as recently as 2009, however, due to the state's economic downturn, requests for earmarked funding were limited for the past several years.

The earmark must now be adopted by the Senate when they begin their fiscal year 2015 budget debate in mid-May and subsequently by the Conference Committee of the House and Senate in June before going to the governor's desk.

"It sounds like a long process but we've done it before and I'm hopeful we can do this again," Gifford said.