Xenia shelter’s new ‘Day Hub’ a huge step in helping Greene County’s homeless

Bridges of Hope can now better connect those in need with case management, rehab, counseling, housing

XENIA — As of next week, Xenia nonprofit Bridges of Hope will be open seven days a week during the day, opening a wealth of opportunities for those experiencing homelessness in the community.

Located in the former Simon Kenton elementary school off West Second Street, Bridges of Hope’s nighttime shelter has been a spot for people to find a safe place to stay at night for the last five years. Starting next week, the organization’s Day Hub program also will be open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to noon, with plans to be open 24 hours, 365 days a year by the fall.

City officials say Xenia has not had day services of this type at any time in recent years.

Tim Ebright and Mike Hunter, both guests at Bridges of Hope, also now work there doing maintenance for the building, and are part of the team working to improve the space for others who come after them.

“I always thought if I had the money I’d run a big house or something like that with a bunch of rooms, and they would just come on over and just hang out for a day,” Ebright said.

Bridges of Hope hosts an average of 35 people in the winter, over half of whom have a job, said Shelter Director Grace Williams. Some of them are elderly, or have been denied work because they don’t have a GED or high school diploma.

“People are here for different reasons,” said Deborah Burden, a guest at Bridges of Hope. Ricky Henderson, her son and also a guest at Bridges, has a bachelor’s degree in information technology, and said he’s worked at various places, including Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

“We’re a couple of average Joes. You lose your job, lose housing. Health problems. I see the beauty of Xenia, and I’ve seen the worst,” Burden said.

The pilot Day Hub program, which was only a few days per week in the last few months, was already massively successful, Williams said, simply by allowing guests to connect with rehab centers, counseling organizations, churches, teachers, and case managers during normal business hours.

“This has been two to three years in the making,” Williams said. The organization received its occupancy certification last month.

“When we were only open at night, we didn’t realize how many people were calling us. People have their hearts ready to just be here and be involved with us, but there was a lot of stuff we were missing,” Williams said.

Bridges of Hope was awarded $374,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds last year from the Greene County Commission. A yearlong $250,000 renovation, in which shelter staff added new ceilings, floors, sprinkler systems and other infrastructure upgrades, means the shelter is ready to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The remaining ARPA funding, in addition to private donations, will go towards expanding the homeless shelter’s daytime operations, hiring new staff, and constructing a commercial kitchen. That is estimated to be open sometime in 2024.

Additionally, more people are getting out of homelessness because of the day hub program. In the last month, six Bridges of Hope guests were able to move into permanent or transitional housing as a direct result of Day Hub, Williams said.

“That housing step would not be possible without Day Hub. At all,” she said.

In the future, organizers are working to set the Day Hub up as a place where those who have found permanent housing can return to, as suddenly being in a house or apartment alone can sometimes open up old wounds.

“We’re their support system,” said Day Hub Director Leslie Grout. “You have 30 people who are here, who are your friends, you talk to them, you’re with them every day. And then you’re gone. But we will be opening up for future guests to come back and to be able to get our services, who still need help with resumes, budgeting, case management.”

Expanded operations at Bridges of Hope also help the city of Xenia, city officials previously told the Dayton Daily News, because it gives them stronger legal grounds to enforce laws around camping on public land. Ohio law requires cities to show that local organizations have the capacity to support people experiencing homelessness, before removing them from public property.

However, guests at Bridges of Hope say those who don’t want help are few and far between. Ebright said he’d like to see the general public be “less aggressive” toward homeless people.

“We get things thrown at us, the cops called on us for no reason,” he said. “There’s a few bad apples, but there is everywhere with everybody.”

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