The newest low barrier homeless shelter, Tommy’s Place in Portage County, is now fully operational. Townhall II Integrated Health Services and Neighborhood Development Services will host a formal grand opening on Aug. 12 at 3761 Lovers Lane in Ravenna beginning at 11 a.m.
“I am really excited about the opening of this shelter,” Townhall II Chief Executive Officer Tamera Hunter told The Weekly Villager on July 30. “We have been working with NDS on the property for a long time on the project. We are humbled and honored to support the community and will continue to do so, hopefully for decades to come.”
The Villager previously reported that Townhall II and NDS had partnered to create a low-barrier shelter and broke ground on the new site last July. The goal was to create a low-barrier homeless shelter that offers immediate relief for homeless people that are afflicted with mental health, substance abuse or trauma issues.
Now, a year later, the project is finished, and the shelter has already opened its doors and is operating at full capacity as every bed is full. The facility includes daily living essentials such as wi-fi, showers, a pantry, a fully operating kitchen and staff that is present 24 hours a day.
Hunter added the shelter will provide resources for case management, counseling and assessments and is optimistic that the shelter will receive other resources from community partners soon.
“The more we work together, the more we help the community. If someone is giving any kind of transportation or even another mental health service, we encourage them to continue with their providers, working with us in the spaces so that we can help improve the quality of life for those folks,” she noted.
Hunter said that Tommy’s Place has already informally opened its doors.
“We were asked to open the doors early, informally, to help these people, we have done so and we have remained full ever since. I don’t expect that to change,” Hunter added. “We continue getting calls from surrounding counties and hospital systems looking to transition more individuals, but we don’t have the beds right now.”
On Aug. 13, NDS and Townhall II will welcome community members, including several prominent citizens to celebrate the opening of Tommy’s Place.
“We have gotten a lot of community support from Ravenna, especially in our behavioral health space. I expect there will be more love and attention that arrives that day, hopefully continuing throughout the duration of us operating in that space,” Hunter noted.
She also said that the purpose of a low-barrier shelter is to eliminate any impediment for people to have a roof over their head. The facility will not discriminate against anyone with a history of criminal behavior, mental health or substance abuse.
“Don’t bring any drugs in, don’t bring in any weapons. Come in our doors and we are here to help you. That is the true meaning of low barrier,” she added.
Each guest may stay in the shelter for such period as is necessary on a case-by-case basis, but Hunter stressed that the shelter does not exist solely to give the homeless temporary housing, but to help them address their issues and assist them in finding permanent housing.
“It has to be a space which is shelter, but it is also helping you with things to improve your life and stabilize yourself independently,” Hunter acknowledged. “It has been directly from the Ravenna community talking about it and NDS deciding, you know what, we are going to do something about this. This is our space to help, at least with renewing building structures.”
Hunter said that Townhall II and NDS received significant community support in their endeavor. She added that the homeless population of Portage County has continued to climb and believes those numbers will not decline.
“What I am hearing is, we wish there were more of these,” she said. “They understand the importance of it and are even encouraged to hear that we are working in spaces to expand the opportunity for us to help the homeless.”
She acknowledged that there had been opposition to Townhall II and NDS’ efforts in aiding the homeless community, but welcomed open dialogue to find common ground, allowing the shelter to continue its primary mission.
