Group that sheltered homeless in Toledo area works to reopen

Associated Press

TOLEDO

Officials of a charity that once provided shelter to the homeless are not giving up in their efforts to reopen the northwest Ohio program.

Family Promise of Greater Toledo had served homeless families in Toledo since 1993. But the charity, which is also known as Interfaith Hospitality Network, recently had to shut its doors because of declining donations amid a tough economy, The Blade reported.

Family Promise is part of a national organization with 173 affiliates in 41 states. There are affiliates in nearly a dozen Ohio cities, including Cleveland, Cincinnati and Akron. Its goal is to help “homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence.”

The organization provides temporary housing for homeless families through local congregations. Families used the Toledo group’s office as a day center and slept at participating churches a week at a time.

The group’s board of directors voted last month to suspend operations because of the lagging donations, said the Rev. Loran Miracle, the board’s vice president. But officials with the charity say they hope it can begin operating again.

Former executive director Paula Lewis said that homeless shelters must rely more on community support because of decreasing government funding.

“This will be a continuing struggle,” Lewis said.

The Toledo office could get a boost from national officials.

Claas Ehlers, director of affiliate services for the New Jersey-based national Family Promise, said the organization is working to help the Toledo affiliate reopen.

“There is tremendous need for the program,” Ehlers said.

The Toledo group’s 2010 tax return showed expenses of $95,990 and revenues of $77,583, with net assets of $18,578 at the end of the year. Family Promise served 29 adults and 56 children last year, according to the return.

Colleen Ball of Swanton, who was homeless for four months during the summer, said the organization’s services were essential to her, and it was the only place at the time that took families.

“Going there enabled us to stay as a unit,” she said. “And it is faith-based. When you are homeless, you are down. It helped us, being in that program.”

Need for shelter service has increased steadily in Toledo and Lucas County in recent years, The Blade reported.