How to help
To donate or find out how you can help, go online to www.hiswillhomes.org.
John Hitchens has had hard times. He’s dealt with a collapsed lung, an unwanted divorce, and the death of his second wife.
But that doesn’t stop him from helping those who are less fortunate. The seed was planted in his mind for His Will Homes about a dozen years ago while he was attending two churches.
He went to the services at the Christian Life Center in Vandalia on Saturday night, and attended Mass at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Tipp City on Sunday. Pastor Stan Tharp of the CLC was quoting Malachi 3:10 and the scripture reading left an impression on Hitchens:
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” said the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
Shortly thereafter Hitchens starting tithing to the church.
"At the end of the year, I had some money left over. St. John's was sending people to the St. Agnes Outreach Ministry in Dayton with Christmas gifts and to sing carols," said Hitchens, a retired Air Force pilot who now lives in Franklin. "The outreach would pick up people in group homes and give them a hot meal every Tuesday, play Bingo, and give them clothing and shoes. I started volunteering there at the Dustin House every week."
St. Agnes Outreach provided spiritual and recreational activities to more than 100 mentally-challenged people living in boarding houses in northwest Dayton. Hitchens was sent to one of them to see about a big hole in the kitchen.
“There was no front door handle, and the floor boards were bad. I was appalled at the condition of the home,” said Hitchens, who currently flies for American Airlines.
He wanted to call the state and close the house down but knew that would mean more than 30 people would end up on the streets. There had to be a better way, but it would be several years before he would be able to do anything about the problem.
He started to do some research and found out that in 1970 there were more than 600,000 people in mental institutions in Ohio. In 1994 that number was down to 70,000. Where were the mentally ill? They were on the streets, in shelters, in group homes, or in jail.
Hitchens started a charitable organization called His Will Homes, or “housing communities supporting mental wellness.” After the usual government red tape, obtaining start-up funds, and getting enough people to be on the board of directors, he finally was able to open two houses in Dayton.
Most of the people in these situations get $25 a day from the government and that’s not enough to house them. Some don’t even get that amount. The National Alliance for Mental Illness, or NAMI, indicates that daily amount should be $55. The mentally ill who cycle in and out of jail cost taxpayers $220 per day.
“The biggest barrier to getting these people help is adequate, safe housing. And most of the people who are running the group homes now are older. When they get tired, frustrated or pass away, those homes are going to disappear,” said Hitchens.
He moved a total of 40 residents, aged 18 to 59, from Dayton Manor to South Park this past Dec. 30. At the time, Dayton Manor had 21 major leaks. But even so, the new homes are not ideal.
“These houses are about 200 years old. We have window problems; we have plumbing problems,” said Hitchens. “We need more efficient heating. One day, half of the electricity went out.”
Hitchens has taken on a lot of responsibility. Not only does he have to deal with the housing issues, he needs to address the mental wellness of his residents. Lavita Butkus, 38, is one of those residents. She had some damaging experiences growing up, and has been diagnosed with seizures and bipolar disorder, among other illnesses. She’s been in group housing for the past 12 years.
“This place is more together and nicer. There are good people here, and John’s trying to make it better. Hopefully, he does succeed and so far things are looking good,” said Lavita. “This isn’t what I really want. I want my own place, but God wants me here right now.”
So far, Hitchens is making it work with volunteer help, and partnering with other organizations. He’s receiving help for his residents’ medical care from Wright State University.
“We have 130 students who are working on doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, we have nationally recognized faculty and staff,” said Larry C. James, WSU professor of psychology and associate vice president of military affairs. “Our students are always looking for places to train, patients and clients to see. Our faculty are always looking for places in the community to lend their expertise and services to.”
Hitchens is also planning a fundraiser at NCR Country Club on May 3. He will have an auction with art by Ohio artists, and also five large-scale works by Thomas Kinkade, sports memorabilia, and other products. Another way Dayton-area residents can help is through switching energy suppliers. Those interested may call 975-607-0265. The charity will receive a small commission from every monthly payment.
“There’s a lot of people throughout the world that you can help. But I look at it as, who’s your neighbor?” said Hitchens. “To me, if I’m going to help anybody, I want to help the people who are closest to me, so I can see an impact. It’s about helping somebody in your backyard.”
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