Rather than reconsider its controversial policy off closing for holidays, the Suffolk Shelter for the Homeless has severed its funding-raising relationship with United Way of South Hampton Roads.

The shelter’s board of directors voted unanimously on Feb. 23 to drop its certification as a United Way agency. That designation allowed United Way donors to earmark their contributions for the homeless shelter.

The shelter’s action comes two months after an onslaught of media attention surrounding its policy of closing, when possible, on four major holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and July 4. The policy hit the media spotlight last Thanksgiving, when six families were evicted just before the holiday after the adults allegedly violated shelter rules.

In two December 2004 letters, Tywana German, director of the Suffolk/Isle of Wight County’s United Way office, said her agency was concerned by the policy and urged the shelter’s board to

rethink its policy before the upcoming Christmas holiday.

United Way provides funding to 14 shelters in Hampton Roads, none of which close for holidays, German said Monday.

&uot;We strongly advised their board of directors to review their policy of closing the shelter on holidays,&uot; said German. But failure to do so didn’t mean the organization would lose its United Way certification, she stressed.

&uot;For an agency that helps us raise money to demand that we change our policies because of what other shelters are doing doesn’t make sense to us,&uot; Terry Miller, the shelter’s executive director.

&uot;That’s not a good reason.&uot;

The shelter only closes on those holidays if the families there have somewhere else to go for the day, Miller said.

This year, the shelter will remain open during Easter because at least two families have indicated they will be staying in the facility, she added.

The shelter also would not agree to a United Way provision that prohibits certified organizations from raising money during that agency’s campaign season, from Aug 15- Nov. 15, Miller said.

&uot;We knew we would not be able to do that because our anniversary falls in October,&uot; Miller said. Much of the shelter’s fund-raising efforts revolve around that anniversary.

Miller said she is confident the shelter will not suffer financially by the loss of the United Way designation.

Last year’s United Way contribution made up less than 10 percent of the shelter’s $300,000 budget, said Miller.

The shelter will be contacting that list of donors to let them know they can make contributions directly to the organization, Miller said.