Greater Youngstown Point will close down Friday

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

alcorn@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The Greater Youngstown Point on Belmont Avenue is closing Friday and has received a $1,000 emergency grant from the Youngstown Foundation to wind down its operation and refer clients to other agencies.

The agency is a daytime shelter for homeless people.

The closing funds were arranged to assist The Greater Youngstown Point shelter to transition this most vulnerable population to alternative county resources, said Mary Voitus, executive director of Catholic Charities, who did not say why the agency is closing.

The grant was accomplished through the collaborative efforts of Burdman Group, Catholic Charities, Help Hotline and the Mahoning County Homeless Continuum of Care, she said.

The mission of the Mahoning County Homeless Continuum of Care, a united coalition of community systems, is to assist the homeless and nearly homeless to obtain housing, economic stability, and an enhanced quality of life through comprehensive services, Voitus said.

“The Youngstown Foundation Emergency Fund dollars were absolutely essential to assuring the homeless men and women, who are served by The Greater Youngstown Point shelter, did not have any lapse in services. The group effort of our community agencies was crucial, and many thanks go out to Nancy Voitus, executive director of Catholic Charities, for her leadership as well as to the Youngstown Foundation, who quickly, and with much concern, stepped up to the plate to offer assistance” said Joseph Caruso, Burdman executive director.

The Greater Youngstown Point started work in 1992 as a collaborative effort by Wick Avenue religious groups who decided to answer the problem of the homeless in Youngstown.