WAPAKONETA, Ohio (WLIO) — An Auglaize County coalition has spent the last seven years working to ensure families have a roof over their heads.
The Auglaize County Homeless Coalition, formed in 2018, is made up of local organizations, agencies and churches that help individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of losing their housing. The goal is to provide extra support and track clients’ progress until they can become self-sufficient.
Through the Auglaize County EMA and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) alone, the coalition has completed about 190 intakes this year, helping roughly 400 adults and children, each facing different challenges.
“We have seniors, 60 to 80 years old, living in a car. There was an issue there. We need to work on that. The housing issue, the price for rent is going up, and these individuals are on limited income, so we're trying to work on that. And then again, we have the younger kids that's impacted. So overall, it is what we try to instill to the general public when it's come Why are you out there helping? It's not we're enabling them. We're trying to get them back on their feet,” says Troy Anderson, Director, Auglaize County EMA.
The coalition does not receive government funding, meaning every dollar spent on hotel rooms or rental assistance comes from donations. They are also in need of housing options for clients.
“The biggest thing is if we can get the public, if we have better housing, or when I say better housing, reasonable rate housing, to the clients. Not every one of our clients has a pet, so that way they understand that. But also, if it wasn't for our motels helping us in some of the local landlords helping us, we would be in a world hurt right now all the shelters in the county or surrounding counties, they're full. So, we can't just send them out. So, we have to try to find some way of fixing it here,” adds Anderson.
Anyone wishing to donate or learn more about how to help can contact the Auglaize County EMA office at 419-739-6725 or visit www.auglaizeema.org
