Chillicothe — With the recent snow and cold weather, how has the new homeless shelter been working? The leader of the agency that has been operating the 24-hour facility for little more than a year says it has been busy…and has probably been a lifesaver.
I spoke with Julie Bolen, Executive Director of the Ross County Community Action Coalition. They are based at the corner of Woodbridge and Western avenues, and among the many services they offer, they operate the shelter.
There were other homeless shelters before this one, but Bolen said they had to have limited hours or services because of local zoning or the lease agreement. But when Community Action bought the former Eastern Avenue Lumber property at 804 Eastern Ave, between Watt Street and Douglas Avenue, it removed most of their limitations.
I can see that the property was ideal for them: a reusable shell building outside the city limits, with the only possible flaws that it is on the edge of the city’s population, and possibly not on a main transit route.
Bolen said they opened this “Resource Center” on December 12th, 2023. Aside from an overnight shelter for the unhoused, it offers “wraparound supportive services” like allowing people to stay warm in winter or cool in summer, get hygiene kits, use a shower trailer, eat food and snacks, and get hats and gloves.
She said their staff offers case management and peer recovery support, helps with access to other benefits, and host some visiting providers who can help with finding employment and permanent housing. In 2024, Bolen said they placed 91 households into permanent housing.
Community Action also has a biweekly outreach – she says a team visits homeless camps to check in with them, offer resources, make connections, and offer transportation.
The shelter has two parts: a shelter with sleeping cots that is open only for evenings and overnight, and a day area. Bolen said in little more than a year, the center has served 636 different people who stayed at least one overnight. That includes 60 children.
In regards to the man who was found dead in a Chillicothe alley recently, she says she can’t comment – but she agreed that more people would have died without the shelter.
She says it can house up to 80 people a night, and is open 24 hours a day. That is very costly, but they secured funding to stay open from the start. They are looking for additional funding, and have a “Sponsor-a-Cot” fundraising effort – based on a cot cost of $12 a night, you can fund a single overnight, up to an entire family for a year.
If someone needs to use the shelter, Bolen says they can just come in, though it’s best to call ahead (740 / 702-7222 x148) to be sure there is an open cot. If there is no space, they will still do their best to help. If transportation is needed, they can also help.
Find the Ross County Community Action Coalition on their website and on Facebook. Hear Bolen in her own words in the below two-part video interview.
