A Place To Call Home INITIATIVE

The Need:

The 2022 Ohio Housing Conference has partnered with Community Shelter Board to serve our community’s most vulnerable members – men, women, and children facing homelessness. More than 1,200 people sleep in homeless shelters in Columbus and Franklin County on any given night, while more than 600 are on the streets.

Economic recovery is slow for people in poverty. We’re still seeing the effects of the pandemic, marked by 5,000 children served in our network last year – up from 3,000.

In the midst of a growing affordable housing crisis, too many families are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to keep up with the rising cost of food, gas, housing, and so much more.

• 63,800 households in central Ohio spend more than half their income on rent, making it hard to afford other necessities like food, transportation, and medication.
• There are only 32 affordable homes available for every 100 extremely low-income families in Franklin County that need them.

How to Donate:

• Direct giving link: igfn.us/form/mPLzKQ
• Text-to-give: Text 2022OHC to 91999 and follow the prompts
• QR code:

The Ask:

Donations received will go toward housing and shelter services within Community Shelter Board’s network of care in Columbus and Franklin County. Shelter is a top funding need, and your gift makes an immediate impact in ensuring safety and housing for our most vulnerable neighbors. More than 1,200 people sleep in homeless shelters in Columbus and Franklin County on any given night, while more than 600 are on the streets.

Your support will:

– Provide care for men, women and children experiencing homelessness
– Provide pathways to stable homes for our most vulnerable neighbors
– Give help and hope to our neighbors who need it most

Your Impact:

A donation of $50 is able to keep a man or woman safe in shelter for a night, and $100 is able to keep a family safe in shelter for a night, as they make their way back to stable housing. The collective impact is even greater. If the charitable program raises $10,000, conference attendees will be providing 67 nights of shelter for men and women and 67 nights of shelter for families with children. If the charitable program raises $25,000, conference attendees will be providing 250 nights of shelter for families with children. Such an incredible impact for our community and those who need us most!

Impact Math:

• $50 keeps a man or woman experiencing homelessness safe in shelter tonight as they make their way back to stable housing.
• $100 keeps a family experiencing homelessness safe in shelter tonight as they make their way back to stable housing.
• $250 keeps a family and three men and women experiencing homelessness safe in shelter tonight as they make their way back to stable housing.
• $500 keeps three families and four men and women experiencing homelessness safe in shelter tonight as they make their way back to stable housing.

Fast Facts:

• More than 5,000 children experienced homelessness last year – right here in our community. Give for the children in your life who are blessed to have a home.
• More than 1,200 people sleep in homeless shelters in Columbus and Franklin County on any given night, while an estimated 600 or more are on the streets.
• One hundred and fifty-six families will sleep in Columbus homeless shelters tonight.
• The average family in shelter is a 34-year-old single mother with two children under the age of 7.
• Many families in shelter are working at low wage jobs or jobs that don’t offer full-time work or benefits. The average family in shelter is earning $764/month.
• More than 15,000 people were served in CSB’s network last year – 5,000 were children.
• Every investment in Community Shelter Board means more people in Columbus and Franklin County have a place to call home.

About Community Shelter Board:

Position Statement: Working relentlessly with our community until everyone has a place to call home.

Mission: Community Shelter Board leads a coordinated, community effort to make sure everyone has a place to call home. CSB is the collective impact organization driving strategy, accountability, collaboration, and resources to achieve the best outcomes for people facing homelessness in Columbus and Franklin County.

We bring together 20 agencies across the community to work together as a cohesive system for change, driving effective strategy and productive collaboration to achieve the best outcomes for people facing homelessness. With the support of a compassionate community, our system of care served 15,000 people last year with homelessness prevention, shelter, street outreach, rapid re-housing, and permanent supportive housing.

Social Media Handles:

• Facebook: @CommunityShelterBoard
• Instagram: @communityshelterboard
• Twitter: @CommShelterBd
• Hashtag: #placetocallhome