TOLEDO, Ohio — A number of organizations are changing the way they offer their services to homeless families throughout Toledo and Lucas County.
Six hundred sixty-two individuals and families are currently living in shelters and on the streets in Lucas County. That number has resonated with community leaders and is a big reason for they are starting a new partnership between the Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board and Lucas County Metropolitan Housing Authority (LMHA).
"(It's) a new start for the homelessness board here in Toledo and we're going to work closely with LMHA and several other stakeholders within the community to improve our homelessness services for the community here," Rachel Gagnon, Executive Director of the Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board said.
One out of every 10 kids going to school in Lucas County is homeless or at risk of homelessness, according to the board. They took this into consideration when forming the new partnership. The two organizations along with others around Lucas County will work to connect people to housing faster. With the organizations working separately, individuals who need help have to go to a number of different places to receive what they need.
"It's now, 'Hey, go over to the health department and get a birth certificate then come back and see me about a Social Security card and then go over there and wait in line in Job and Family Services.' That's how we were doing it before," Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken said. "How we're going to do it now, is you're going to go to one place and we're going to take care of the services for you. Come with us and will get you in housing."
The new partnership is effective immediately and all parties expect to hit the ground running starting this week.