Tuscarwas County's Homeless

With all the current events unfolding in the national news, and with winter and the Holidays approaching, it’s easy for us to forget what a turn in the weather can mean for some of the less fortunate in our area. While our community may not have the homeless numbers of the bigger cities in our state, it is foolish to pretend we are immune from this issue.

TUSCO TV spoke with Kari McDade from Friends of the Homeless of Tuscarawas County. Friends of the Homeless of Tuscarawas County is a non-profit organization on the front lines of the homelessness issue in our county. We asked Kari some questions about homelessness in our community.

How many homeless would you say are in our county ?  
Kari: Calculating the homeless population is one that is difficult to do successfully. Our capacity, is 36 and the shelter is usually always full. But we know that there are others out there that need shelter. Every year there is a PIT (Point in Time) count that is completed for our county to try and determine an accurate number, but there is no real way to know the exact number. Putting into perspective what homelessness actually is....there may be someone who is couch surfing from friends house to friends house, or living in a vehicle, sleeping under a bridge that we can't visibly see, an abandoned house, someone who may be being discharged from an institution and has nowhere to go, or possibly a family that is losing their housing and has no other resources. There are many different lenses to what homelessness looks like. 

Has there been an increase or decrease in homelessness in 2020? 
Kari: From 2014 to 2019 homelessness has increased by 20%. To some degree with the eviction moratorium has helped some, but we still have such a need in our community for housing. There just is not enough to go around.

What do people say are some of the reasons that have resulted in their homelessness?  
Kari: There are many reasons that homelessness exists. We have seen many different reasons as to why, some can be generational, others may be situational and temporary. It could be a lost job, lack of employment, divorce, domestic violence, aging out of the foster care system, or just no support system. 

What programs do you offer for homelessness?  
Kari: We offer a variety of programs in house and we also partner with other individuals and organizations as well. HCRP (Housing Crisis Response Program), Rapid Rehousing, Homeless Prevention, referrals include: Housing Now for Homeless Families, Youth Action Board, Re-Entry, BVR program to help with establishing vocational skills and job placement through Ohio Means Jobs, also we work with the local employment agencies. Stark State Occupational Therapy program interns at the shelter each semester, as well as various relative programs at Kent State, just to name a few of the services.

How can our local community get involved to help the homeless?
Kari: There are many different ways that the community can help the shelter. We have a volunteer program, as well as we have a meal calendar that individuals or organizations and businesses donate for our nightly community meal. Donations always help, whether it be money or food, socks and underwear, or a bar of soap, the possibilities are endless as to what someone can do to help. 

We appreciate Friends of the Homeless of Tuscarawas County, and their efforts to deal with the homelessness issue in our community. While anyone can find themselves in this situation, there are many people groups to consider with homelessness:

• Homeless Families
• Homeless Veterans
• Homeless Youths
• Homeless Seniors
   

Success Stories

Friends of the Homeless of Tuscarawas County

If you wish to get involved in helping homelessness in our community, you can contact your local churches, or contact Friends of the Homeless of Tuscarawas County through their website: https://fothtusc.org/