Groups unite to aid area homeless

CELINA - A new partnership aims to gradually expand a place for homeless people to find temporary shelter as they focus on becoming productive, self-reliant community members.

Lord's Abounding Grace Church of Celina has joined forces with the Mercer County Homeless Coalition to enlarge what is being dubbed Hand Up Village on the grounds behind the rural church's property.

Officials envision a faith-based community ample enough to provide transitional refuge for the county's homeless who have a genuine desire to better themselves.

Pastor Rick Brosher of Lord's Abounding Grace Church has been housing homeless people in three cabins on the grounds behind the church since 2015. However, his work has been taxing, to say the least.

"Up until the pandemic … I averaged three calls a week and that has been consistent during the whole time that we've done that," he said. "I would guess in Mercer County at any given time there's somewhere between 60 and 75 homeless people on a regular basis."

The newfound alliance with the homeless coalition, a group of concerned community members, will provide much needed assets, resources and assistance, members said.

"This is an answer to prayer … to be able to partner with Rick and his church in a way that they've already figured it out," said Grand Lake United Methodist Church Pastor Mick Whistler.

Looking ahead, Brosher believes the partnership and the expanding Hand Up Village will offer a viable, longterm solution for the county's homeless issues.

"It takes a very heavy load and it distributes it, and it will enable us to much better meet the needs of these people because there's other folks involved," Brosher mused. "This was greatly needed for it to be a community effort versus one church trying to do this and trying to meet these people's needs."

So far, the volunteers have run a successful fundraising campaign to begin building a fourth cabin capable of housing two individuals. It is being put up by the Marion Catholic Community volunteers, homeless coalition president Bruce Swonger pointed out.

These are bare-bones cabins equipped with bunks, a microwave and little else. Each cabin costs about $10,000 in addition to annual operating costs.

The group also plans to expand the shared, stand-alone restroom and laundry building, which they hope to complete before winter.

A slab has been laid down for a fifth cabin that will be constructed when the need arises. Volunteers say there's enough land to build a few more cabins on down the road.

"In fact, this year we had at one point all of our cabins full this summer, and we had a guy out here living in a tent," Brosher said. "So it has been an ongoing need."

However, Whistler was quick to point out that Hand Up Village is not a homeless drop-in center that some may associate with crime. Rather, it is a temporary community designed to help people get their lives on track.

"You can't just show up," he said.

All applicants are fully vetted with a background check and interview process. No one with records for violence or sexual improprieties will be allowed to stay. They also must be from Mercer County.

Those admitted must sign a contract that is reevaluated each month.

"We have very specific guidelines and rules that, basically, if they're going to use the shelter they have to participate in. This is a faith-based program," homeless coalition member Deb Borns noted.

Once they have paid all of their outstanding bills, people who stay in the cabins have to save at least 50% of their income to put toward a new place to live. They also must attend a church of their choosing and work on budgeting skills.

"We make them very welcome. We try very hard to make sure all their needs are met. If they don't have money they don't go hungry," Brosher said. "This is absolutely an opportunity for a new start."

"Not everybody wants a handout. Some folks want a hand up," Brosher continued.

Homeless coalition member Ron Fanning said he was drawn to volunteer precisely because of that governing philosophy.

"That's the right approach. You can't give people things," he said. "They've got to earn it."

Brosher said he's able to discern a person's true intentions about two weeks into their stay. Those who are not serious about improving themselves are asked to leave.

Since 2015, the cabins have hosted 95 people, including 32 individuals and 19 families.

Applicants come from all walks of life, including single mothers with children, the elderly and young men. Some have just been released from jail, others have been evicted or are looking for a way out of domestic abuse. The average age is about 40, Brosher said.

People can fall into homelessness for numerous reasons.

"Because a lot of these folks, they were living paycheck-to-paycheck and they had a medical crisis or their transmission went out, they're done," he said.

And more than half of them come with little more than the clothes on their backs, Brosher pointed out, adding he welcomes donations of items such as towels and utensils.

Coalition members have forged a network of government and charitable agencies that they can direct people to for services, such as rent assistance. Among the service providers are Mercer County Jobs and Family Services, West Ohio Community Action Partnership and Foundations Behavioral Health Services.

In many cases, these resources have saved people from homelessness, Whistler said.

"This is bigger than one church can do, and so the community part kind of came in," Whistler said.

Officials continue to look for financial assistance from the community as operations and capital projects are paid for exclusively through donations. They also welcome volunteers to serve as mentors, such as those who can teach cooking or parenting classes.

All donations can be sent to the Mercer County Civic Foundation, c/o Mercer County Homeless Coalition, 119 W. Fulton St., Celina, Ohio, 45822.