Middletown organization seeks more churches to host homeless in colder months

Oct. 24—MIDDLETOWN — A Middletown church-based organization will host the homeless and provide shelter and meals starting on Dec. 31.

Serving the Homeless with Alternate Lodging Of Middletown (SHALOM) plans to be open for eight weeks, unless additional churches volunteer, said Bill Fugate, a volunteer in his 15th year. SHALOM has operated in Middletown since it was founded by Roy and Pat Ickes in 2002.

It receives no government assistance and averages about 35 clients a night, Fugate said.

Each week on a rotating basis, a church in the network provides meals and shelter within their church facilities, he said. Daily intakes are performed from 4-5 p.m. of the hosting season. New guests must arrive at 4 p.m. on their initial day of stay, according to Fugate.

At 5 p.m., those in need of shelter are transported from the SHALOM office, which is located in the lower level of the First United Methodist Church, 120 S. Broad St., to the host church.

All guests are allowed to shower, dine, rest and fellowship in a safe and warm environment and at approximately 8 a.m. each day the guests are transported back downtown, Fugate said.

Fugate said despite what some people believe, the number of homeless continues rising in the region due to the worsening economy.

"The need is still there," he said. "No matter what people think and do, the need is always going to be there. All you can do is make the effort to try. The rest is up to them."

He said those who volunteer to serve the homeless through SHALOM are blessed.

"That's how they're serving," he said. "They're opening their hearts and opening their facilities."

Last year, the city of Middletown, once it was unsure whether SHALOM would operate, helped support a similar church-based, rotating warming center. But the center, scheduled to be open throughout the winter, closed after six days.

That's when SHALOM volunteers established a hosting schedule in just a few weeks when this typically took many months of preparation, according to Fugate.

Homelessness has been one of the most debated, and expensive issues recently in the city of Middletown.

In 2021, the city of Middletown, through a grant, funded a warming center that was run by the Healing Center. The city paid $95,000 for the group to operate the center for 90 days, but the center closed after 60 days over a contract dispute with the city.

In 2020, City Council voted 4-1 to award a $49,724 grant to Downtown Middletown Inc. to provide six months of unarmed security downtown as a pilot program after numerous complaints from local businesses. The contract was not renewed.

Middletown Police Chief David Birk has estimated there about 200 unhoused people living in Middletown and about 50% are from outside the city. He said many of the homeless come to Middletown from surrounding Butler County communities.

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SHALOM 2023-2024 SCHEDULE

Dec. 31-Jan. 6: Breiel Church of God

Jan. 7-13: Open

Jan. 14-20: Open

Jan. 21-27: Open

Jan. 28-Feb. 3: Open

Feb. 4-10: Holy Family Parish

Feb. 11-17: Quest Church

Feb. 18-24: First Baptist Church

Feb. 25-March 2: First United Methodist Church

Contact SHALOM at shalomhomeless@gmail.com or www.shalomhomeless.com.