According to the Northwest Ohio Community Action Commission, on average there are 30-40 people in Van Wert that experience homelessness on any given day. That’s more than the surrounding five counties combined.
Haven of Hope is not only giving people a place to rest their heads, but they also work on rebuilding the men’s life so that they can thrive on their own after leaving the shelter.
Michael Saylor, the vice president on the board for Haven of Hope says, “We just want people to know that what we’re doing at Haven of Hope is a real benefit to the Van Wert community because we’re meeting these guys and we’re helping to meet those needs and it’s a group of people that just simply have been overlooked.”
On Sunday, Haven of Hope opened their doors to those in the community that were curious and wanted to see how the shelter operates. People seemed pleasantly surprised by what they learned.
Sidney Blush, one of the attendees of the open house says, “The building is absolutely fantastic for the position that it’s in. It’s at a good location, and I think the people that get to stay here are fortunate to have a nice warm place to stay.”
Visitors were able to see what a night at the shelter would look like, and were enthusiastic about asking questions. Well over a dozen community members stayed for the hour-long open house and some even left donations.
Saylor says, “We’re really just in awe of our Van Wert community and the support that they’ve given to us and then of course the support for those who are facing homelessness and the encouragement that comes with saying hey let’s help these guys move onto something better.”
Haven of Hope is always looking for volunteers and donations. To find out how to get involved, head to havenofhopevw.org.
