The Clinton County Homeless Shelter held its annual board meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Board members for 2024 include: Robyn Allen, Billie Baker, Becky Boris, Bill Davis, Sam Jackson, Dan Mayo, Nancy McCormick, Renee Quallen, and Barbara Saville.
Election of officers approved for 2024 are as follows; president: Dan Mayo, vice president: Bill Davis, secretary: Becky Boris, assistant secretary: Sam Jackson, treasurer: Billie Baker, assistant treasurer: Robyn Allen.
The following annual report was presented at the meeting by Denise Stryker, executive director:
In November of 2023, the Clinton County Homeless Shelter celebrated 35 years of operations!
We celebrated this milestone anniversary with an open house that included the theme “A pass to the North Pole.” Guests attending the celebration had the chance to tour and see the labor of love and work of our phenomenal volunteers, board members, staff, and community supporters who have made this milestone anniversary possible!
The “Pass to the North Pole” included stops where participants made crafts, collected reindeer food, received a candy cane, and visited the Dolly Parton imagination Library where volunteers read during story time. Upon arriving at the North Pole, guests received a 35-year anniversary ornament and refreshments were served. We are so thankful for the donations of children’s pajamas and food for the food pantry that we received from those attending the event.
A highlight of the day was the dedication and ribbon cutting of the Pastor Elizabeth Looney Men’s House, The Molly Frances Donation House and the opening of the newly built donation shed. Families of all three were present for the dedications.
Tom, Janet, and Mark Matrka were recognized for twenty-two years of volunteering at the shelter and the endless projects completed.
Our friends, Tom and Mark Matrka and Jim Krusling were recognized for the countless volunteer hours and supplies donated to build the newly opened donation shed that houses furniture, appliances, and household items donated to help those leaving the shelter and anyone who needs help.
Special guest, Ohio State Representative Bill Dean attended the celebration and presented a proclamation recognizing the shelter’s 35-year milestone anniversary.
The Shelter’s nine volunteer board members meet each month to oversee operations and make important decisions on behalf of those we serve. The annual meeting is held in January.
The Shelter employs two full-time and seven part-time staff members. In addition, previous and current residents of the Shelter “pay it forward” by sharing their time and talents to volunteer at fundraising events, serve on the resident advisory committee, help maintain Shelter property, and to lend a hand wherever needed.
Our on-site access coordinator continues to provide administrative support for the Clinton County Coalition on Homelessness by scheduling and attending quarterly steering and membership meetings, and regular workgroup meetings with the following four committees: temporary housing, service resources, prevention, and rehousing. The networking and collaborations with Sugartree Ministries, Hope House, local mental health providers and other social service organizations improves the lives of those experiencing homelessness and a crisis. We are forever grateful to live in a community where we work together as a team, to improve the lives of others.
The shelter partners with Vantage. Vantage employs adults 55 years and older. Shelter staff provides training and supervision for Vantage employees who work an average of 20 hours a week and help with accepting and organizing donations, assisting those visiting the food pantry/Molly Frances Donation House, inventory of donations, cleaning, and answering phones.
In 2023, Wilmington College Students volunteered many hours to help complete projects at the shelter. Additionally, a Wilmington College student completed her internship at CCHS.
We are very thankful to receive local community support from local Churches, United Way, businesses, service organizations, and individuals and are certain that operations could not continue if not for this support.
The Shelter’s ability to help those in need depends on funding from various sources including grants. In 2023, we applied for a two-year grant from The Ohio Development Services Agency Homeless Crisis Response Program (HCRP) emergency shelter grant. In December 2023, we received word that the application was approved for $234,000.
Collaborations with region 16 and the important work of the rapid rehousing program continued in 2023. The decision was made that the administrator of region 16 (Fayette County Community Action Program) employ the rapid rehousing case manager. The shelter’s on-site access coordinator refers shelter residents and others in our community who are eligible to the rapid rehousing case manager and coordinates resources and services. Rapid Rehousing services were provided for twenty-two households in 2023.
In September 2023, Real Change Wilmington held a fundraising event at the Clinton County Corn Festival to help our shelter residents. Three households who were living at the shelter worked at the corn festival fundraiser organized by Real Change Wilmington and then received monies to help with emergency expenses for housing, transportation, and other expenses to help them during a time of need. We are grateful for the opportunities and changes made possible by Real Change Wilmington this year and always.
In May of 2023, The Board of Realtors held their annual Day of Caring Pancake Breakfast. The compassion and kindness shared by our local realtors while raising funds to help those who need a place to live is a gift which they have shared with the shelter for many years now and we are thankful to see the friendships and help they give to one another and the shelter for so many years!
Each Spring and Fall, board members and staff organize a soup fundraiser with all proceeds helping the shelter. In 2023, One Mission Wilmington, volunteers from the Wilmington Church of God and other local Churches made soup, desserts, provided supplies, and may volunteers from One Mission Wilmington helped the day of both events. Monetary donations received from these two fundraisers help with daily operations of the shelter.
The shelter continued collaboration with the Cincinnati Food Bank, and the Feed America Program. Three days a week, volunteers organize efforts to pick up donated food from Walmart and Aldi’s and distribute it to the shelter and other local organizations and Churches. The Molly Frances Donation House is open seven days a week from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon. In 2023 six-hundred-ninety households received donations of food, clothing, household items, toiletries, cleaning supplies, furniture, and many other necessities.
In 2023, 151 men, women and children called the shelter home for a total of 5,967 nights and 29,835 meals and snacks were provided for those living at the shelter.
One trend in 2023 that we have noted is a decrease in donations and overall revenue. We appreciate the support of so many and ask that you continue to help support the Shelter in its valuable work. We have willingly taken on some new initiatives that have been generated from discussions with the larger community the last few years but could use some additional revenue streams and donations to underwrite these efforts as we find more ways to help with this issue of homelessness that touches all of our lives. Please consider this in your budget planning for 2024.
The Shelter board and staff want to thank each of you for your continued support! We are grateful to live and work in a caring and compassionate community!
Please call 937-382-7058 or email [email protected] if you would like more information about the shelter. We hope you will like us on Facebook at Clinton County Homeless Shelter “A Place to Call Home” and will visit our website at clintoncountyhomelessshelter.org.
