Because of lagging donations, the Jesus House shelter can’t pay its bills and employees have gone three weeks without paychecks, officials with the shelter said.

The shelter serves mentally ill homeless people and distributes food baskets to the needy. Gas to the property was nearly shut off this week after the bill topped $2,000.

An anonymous donor paid the balance, but the charity owes thousands more for other utilities and to pay workers.

Five workers were laid off this year, and the remaining six have worked without pay for weeks, although they’ve kept health insurance benefits.

But chief executive officer Janis Mercer said the doors will remain open. About 75 people live at the shelter and have no other place to go.

"If we have to sit in the dark, take cold showers and eat sandwiches, we won’t close,” Mercer said.

She said holiday season donations usually bring in about $650,000, but this past season only $100,000 was collected. Also, some regular donors have ceased helping because of economic woes.

Aaron Cotton manages the food warehouse and is struggling to pay his personal bills. He couldn’t buy his teenage son new clothes for school.

But Cotton has no plans to seek other work.

"I like what I do. I like helping other people. I believe we will get through this,” he said.