In March of this year Bridges of Hope was able to accomplish a long-awaited goal with the support of state & local funding! They were finally able to install a much-needed sprinkler system in the old school building they have been using for an emergency homeless shelter since December of 2017.
For the last two years Bridges of Hope (BOH) Shelter has operated on an emergency basis only, as full occupancy of the building has been contingent on getting a fire alarm and sprinkler system installed. Last year, after working closely with the Greene County Department of Development (with special thanks to Sarah Mault for connecting them to the Ohio Development Services Agency [ODSA]), funding was finally provided to complete the project. Grants included $81,000 from Ohio Development Services Agency as a part of their “Target of Opportunity” Grant, a $10,000 grant from the Greene County Commissioners, a $10,000 matching grant from the City of Xenia, and a remaining balance of costs came from Liberty Worship Center, Day of Caring, and other BOH supporters. After a competitive bidding process, the contract was awarded to SBIII Fire Protection services, a local company who helped cut costs with a generous donation of labor.
With the sprinkler system now in place and working, BOH looks forward to moving on to the next phases of completing their vision of a fully functioning, 24-hour shelter, as well as opening up the remainder of the building to kitchen and dining areas, offices for social services and clinic space for local health organizations to use in service to BOH clients. BOH is so thankful for the support, financial assistance, and encouragement of the ODSA, Greene County, the City of Xenia, and our faithful BOH supporters. Because of them, we can continue to grow into a Hub of Hope for those suffering from homelessness, poverty, and the consequences of addictive behavior.
