Need is Urgent to Close the Funding Gap for the Homeless to Homes Shelters

CINCINNATI, OH – June 2, 2015 – Strategies to End Homelessness, which leads a coordinated system of care for the homeless and those at-risk of becoming homeless throughout Cincinnati/Hamilton County, announced plans for the “Bring It Home” community-wide fundraising campaign to raise $2.7 million to close the funding gap for the Homeless to Homes shelters.

The Homeless to Homes Plan, adopted by Cincinnati City Council and the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners and implemented by Strategies to End Homelessness, articulates a shared vision and course toward ending homelessness for single individuals. A cornerstone of the Homeless to Homes Plan is improving our local emergency shelter system with five service-enriched facilities.

Formed in 2010, the Homeless to Homes Shelter Collaborative is in the home stretch of fundraising, having raised over $39 million toward the goal of $42 million. Now, the Collaborative urgently needs to raise $2.7 million to finish building the five new shelters that will ensure homeless people have access to high quality emergency shelter and services designed to serve as a springboard out of homelessness for good. The Homeless to Homes Shelter Collaborative includes shelter providers City Gospel Mission, Lighthouse Youth Services, Talbert House and the Drop Inn Center, in partnership with Strategies to End Homelessness, and development partner 3CDC.

“The collective impact of these facilities will be to complete the transformation of our shelter system from one which once kept people safe in homelessness, to a system that rapidly helps people out of homelessness,” said Kevin Finn, president/CEO of Strategies to End Homelessness.

Two of the five facilities, the Lighthouse Sheakley Center for Youth and Talbert House Parkway Center, opened in 2012. City Gospel Mission opened its new shelter in April. The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women, located at 2499 Reading Road, will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony this Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m. The Barron Center for Men is scheduled to open this coming September.

Strategies to End Homelessness, the four shelter operators, and development partner 3CDC have been working together to upgrade our community’s shelter facilities and services:

• Improved shelter facilities will encourage people to come in off the streets at night, and not force shelter providers to turn residents back to the streets during the day

• Daytime services will include drug and alcohol treatment, mental and medical health services, and job search and training

• Higher quality and increased case management services will ensure residents are helped to navigate complex systems effectively, receiving the assistance they need to exit homelessness.

• Improved shelters follow a step-up model, incentivizing residents to engage in the services that will assist them out of homelessness.

The Homeless to Homes Shelter Collaborative pledges to achieve measurable results through a coordinated, community-wide system:

• Fewer people forced to sleep in the streets, under bridges, in doorways, or parks

• Decrease length of time that people are homeless

• Increased number of people returning to permanent housing

• Increased employment, income and self-sufficiency

The ambition of the Homeless to Homes plan goes beyond shelter. By creating the facilities and resources needed to end individual homelessness in Cincinnati, we can create a more vibrant and revitalized community, and improve quality of life for all Cincinnatians.

For more information about the “Bring It Home” campaign, contact Strategies to End Homelessness, visit www.strategiestoendhomelessness.org or call 513-263-2785.

About Strategies to End Homelessness

Since 2007, Strategies to End Homelessness has led a comprehensive system of care to assist the homeless in Cincinnati/Hamilton County. Our promise is to end homelessness in our community. Working in partnership with 30 non-profit organizations, Strategies to End Homelessness coordinates a centralized emergency shelter hotline, homelessness prevention, street outreach, emergency shelter and housing solutions toward the goal of ending homelessness. As a result, our community has seen a 100% increase in the number of people served in supportive housing programs since 2007. Local prevention programs have shown a 92% success rate at keeping those most at risk of losing their homes from entering homelessness. Through the work of Strategies to End Homelessness, Cincinnati is recognized nationally as a leader in implementing innovative and effective programs to end homelessness. Strategies to End Homelessness is funded in part by the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, is a United Way Agency Partner, and a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity. To learn more about Strategies to End Homelessness, and the community’s integrated network of homeless services agencies, visit: www.strategiestoendhomelessness.org

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Contact:

Kevin Finn

President & CEO

Strategies to End Homelessness

513.708.8054 cell

513.263.2780 office

kfinn@end-homelessness.org

Tamie Sullivan

Sullivan Communications, Inc.

513.252.5565 cell

513-583-1433 office

tsullivan1@cinci.rr.com