Falling income leads homeless shelter to close

Paula Lewis, former executive director of the Interfaith Hospitality Network, also known as Family Promises, poses outside the homeless shelter on Western Ave. in South Toledo. The shelter has closed due to lack of funding. THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY Enlarge | Photo Reprints

A charity that has served homeless families in Toledo since 1993 has shut its doors and laid off its three staff members.

Its supporters say they believe the measure is temporary.

The Rev. Loran Miracle, vice president of the board of Family Promise of Greater Toledo, said the group is on hiatus and aims to be operating again by June. All its infrastructure remains in place, he said, adding: "What's not in place are the finances." With the economy sputtering, the group has experienced falling donations from individuals.

Family Promise, also known by the name Interfaith Hospitality Network, 434 Western Ave., is part of a national organization with 173 affiliates in 41 states. It provided temporary housing for homeless families through local congregations, with a goal of helping "homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence." Families used the group's office as a "day center" during the day and at night slept at participating churches a week at a time.

Claas Ehlers, director of affiliate services for the New Jersey-based organization, said the national organization is working with the Toledo affiliate as it tries to get back on its feet.

"There is tremendous need for the program," Mr. Ehlers said.

The Toledo group's 2010 tax return states it had expenses of $95,990 and revenues of $77,583 and ended the year with net assets of $18,578. During the year, Family Promise served 23 families, comprising 29 adults and 56 children, the tax return stated.

Colleen Ball of Swanton, who was homeless for four months during the summer and used IHN's services, said the organization was essential to her.

"At the time, they were the only place that took families," she said. "Going there enabled us to stay as a unit. And it is faith-based. When you are homeless, you are down. It helped us, being in that program. It helped with counseling. It helped give us a place to stay. It helped our faith."

She is speaking at area churches to spread the word about IHN.

Paula Lewis, the group's only full-time employee and executive director, who was laid off, said, "This will be a continuing struggle. The government is funding shelters less and less. … Most of the money from shelters will have to come from the community."

Need for shelter service has increased steadily in recent years. According to United Way of Greater Toledo, from Dec. 1, 2010, to Dec. 1, 2011, there were 2,432 calls to the 2-1-1 hot line from Lucas County residents seeking help with shelter. Of those calls, 1,213 were from families, as opposed to single people.

During the one-year period that started Dec. 1, 2009, there were 1,909 calls; 867 were from families.

In the same period from 2008 to 2009, there were 1,717 calls seeking this assistance; family numbers are unavailable for that time period.

Former Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, who describes himself as a "cheerleader" for Family Promise, said, "It is a great program. It is [a] shame that, like the times we live in, it has fallen on hard times."

Reverend Miracle, who is pastor at the Church of St. Andrew, said he believes the group can get back on its feet via the churches that participate in the network looking through their congregations and friends for steady financial support.

He emphasized he was seeing the hiatus in a positive light, as an opportunity for rebirth.

"We had more friends than we knew," he said.

Anyone wishing to get involved can contact him at 419-385-6160.

Contact Kate Giammarise at: kgiammarise@theblade.com, or 419-724-6091.