Home For Good makes new move with ACTION

By Bruce Walton

bwalton@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The Home For Good Re- Entry Resource Referral Center has moved its operations to a new but familiar location.

Since June 7, Home For Good, as well as the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing our Neighborhoods, or ACTION, have moved from the 20 Federal Place office building, 20 W. Federal St., to First Presbyterian Church, 201 Wick Ave.

Home for Good helps returning citizens make the adjustment back to society after their release from incarceration.

Starting in 2013 as an auxiliary of ACTION, the center grew to hold its own.

But ACTION wanted to make sure the center was more financially stable before it can be on its own.

That’s why Rose Carter, executive director of ACTION, said the organization decided to move itself and Home For Good at the same time.

Carter said ACTION chose First Presbyterian among the three recommended locations because the church met a number of criteria. The new headquarters had to be economical, near downtown and close to a bus route for former inmates to have easy access to the center’s services, Carter said.

“We are indebted and gracious to First Presbyterian, especially because of the reputation they have in this community,” she said.

Carter said they chose the church for the work it has done by giving special rent prices to local nonprofit organizations that use the church for meetings and gatherings.

The church serves as the home for more than 15 local organizations and groups in the Mahoning County area, including Kid’s Grieve Too, a support group for children experiencing loss through deaths of loved ones, and the Midlothian Free Health Clinic.

Lola Simmons, executive director of Home For Good, said the move to First Presbyterian has been an adjustment.

“Because the physical place of residence has been the same for 21/2 years, it’s an adjustment for us and for the public,” she said. “And there has been no other public awareness of our move other than some [social-media] postings.”

Since the move, Simmons said, the usual amount of visitors to the center has declined by about 50 percent.

She attributes it to confusion in finding a new location, the complicated entrance behind the church on East Wood Street and confusion with the center’s phone number.

The center’s new phone number – 330-743-3700 – won’t be ready for a couple of weeks, but Simmons recommends people call 330-506-7601 until then.

The hours Thursday have changed from 1 to 5 p.m. to noon to 4 p.m.

By June 2017, Carter said the center will receive its own grant from the Youngstown Foundation and be financially independent to stand on its own without ACTION.