New Shelter and Services Center

While demand continues to grow, our facilities are holding us back. Families are now scattered among five shelters in South Fairmount, Westwood, College Hill and Bond Hill, three of which are apartment buildings. Families and staff must travel among the buildings for services; this is costly and time-consuming, and the scattered sites means unequal access to programs for families.

To address this need, Bethany House is building a new family homeless shelter and comprehensive services center. Consolidating seven buildings into one new facility, Bethany House can provide the best quality shelter accommodations and improve access to a full range of support services for every family served. The new space will allow for expanding onsite service, like medical and mental healthcare, employment services, counseling and educational programs.

Importantly, the new facility will be designed specifically for homeless parents and children. It will incorporate trauma-informed care into its design, including private family bedrooms, common spaces for families, and interactive, age-based indoor enrichment areas and outdoor children’s play spaces. These elements are shown to be effective for serving homeless families and minimizing trauma.