More families need homeless shelters. This district provides these.

LORAIN, OHIO — Lorain County is nearly tripling its emergency shelter space for families. This week Neighborhood Alliance completed an expansion at Haven Center in Lorain.

The nonprofit organization unveiled 19 new rooms added to the Ben and Jane Norton Center. 11 of the rooms are reserved for families experiencing homelessness.

“When you’re in the middle of a crisis, you need your support, especially for children. Being homeless can be a very scary, very traumatic experience for them,” said Neighborhood Alliance President and CEO Alicia Foss.

He pointed out that the need for urgent shelter is increasing, especially for families.

Neighborhood Alliance operates the county’s only 24-hour, 365-day emergency shelter, with space for men, families, single women and adult couples.

The old wing of the Haven Center currently offers four family-only rooms. The new property will feature private bathrooms and can accommodate parents with children, couples and large mixed families with connecting rooms. Eventually, a playground is planned for the central courtyard.

Foss said the spaces are designed to give people a sense of normalcy while dealing with crises.

“The process of finding housing or employment can be very daunting because you have to focus on the first things first. “You have to make sure you are fed and have a roof over your head,” he explained.

The project broke ground a week after historic flooding in Northeast Ohio.

Approximately 20 inches of sewage and rainwater flooded the lower level of Haven Center during a late summer storm.

Homeless shelter in Lorain with neighbors still recovering from summer flooding

RELATING TO: Homeless shelter in Lorain with neighbors still recovering from summer flooding

“We couldn’t get residents into the facility,” Foss recalled. “It was really difficult for both our citizens and our employees.”

The damage caused shelter operations to be disrupted for more than a month and forced improvements to the shelter’s common room and kitchen well ahead of schedule.

Fortunately, the flooding did not prevent the expansion of the building.

Staff said the project will be completed as more people seek shelter during the winter months.

“We don’t know who will enter these doors from now on. It could be me, it could be anyone,” said Neighborhood Alliance Fundraising Manager Roberto Toro.

Many families and individuals seeking help are facing illness, job loss or other unforeseen circumstances that disrupt their lives, he said. He hopes the new facility will provide a comfortable place to land and advance.

“This hospitable presence literally disables that great protection. And when they start talking and telling their stories, you’ll see that they’re just like you,” Toro said.

The Ben and Jane Norton Center is one of several phases of the Neighborhood Alliance’s capital improvement plan. The nonprofit is fundraising for a planned renovation of the Haven Center and other projects. If you would like to help, you can donate and learn more BY CLICKING THIS LINK.