Rebuilding the lives of people who are homeless is hard work that often goes without much notice. It is also a work in progress that needs continuing support from the general public and elected officials to be successful. That was the message from Rev. Leon Troy at a luncheon honoring those who work on a daily basis to rebuild the lives of the homeless this past April. The luncheon was held at the Columbus Urban League and sponsored by the Community Shelter Board (CSB).

"We have seen a real increase in the variety of programs available to help end homelessness," said Barbara Poppe, Executive Director of CSB. "Our partner agencies are developing effective combinations of housing and services that remove the roadblocks to permanent housing for people who are homeless."

The luncheon event recognized the efforts of 17 organizations that made a difference in the lives of the homeless as part of the Rebuilding Lives plan over the past year. The Rebuilding Lives plan is a strategy to develop permanent, affordable housing to end the cycle of homelessness.

One of the key organizations recognized was Community Housing Network, the largest developer of supportive housing in Central Ohio. Community Housing Network developed a number of specialized programs over the past year that combine housing and services for people with disabilities such as mental illness and addiction.

Other organizations recognized were Columbus Area Community Mental Health Center, Columbus Health Department, Columbus Neighborhood Health Center, Friends of the Homeless, Maryhaven, National Church Residences, North Central Mental Health Services, Southeast, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Faith Mission, Volunteers of America, and the YMCA.

Barbara Poppe and Bill Flaherty, Ohio Program Director of the Corporation for Supportive Housing, gave a presentation on the progress of the Rebuilding Lives initiative. A panel to discuss programs and the impact on the community included Anthony Penn from Community Housing Network, Brian Grace from Friends of the Homeless, Sally Luken from Faith Mission, and Joe McKinley from the United Way of Central Ohio.

Rev. Troy, who was recently named Humanitarian of the Year by the American Red Cross, closed the event by asking those honored to continue their hard work. He also charged the group with finding ways to gather ongoing support from the public, elected officials, and funding sources for programs and services for the homeless.

The Community Shelter Board, established in 1986, is a non-profit intermediary organization that coordinates community based efforts, fosters collaboration, and funds services to assist families and individuals in Central Ohio to resolve their housing crisis. The Community Shelter Board allocates $7.0 million annually to support programs at 17 agencies. Last year, these programs served more than 11,000 individuals. The Community Shelter Board is funded by the City of Columbus, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, the United Way of Central Ohio, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Ohio, and other public and private donors.

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