Columbus, OH--A new emergency shelter for families is set to open later this month in response to a 79% increase in the number of families seeking shelter in our community since 2011.
Families experiencing homelessness need shelter to ensure safety and security, but services designed to transition families from shelter into stable, permanent housing are equally important. Families living in poverty with barriers like poor work history, credit problems and evictions need intensive services focused on ending the homeless crisis quickly and stabilizing the family in housing. Community Shelter Board and its providers offer life-changing programs to impact more than 1,500 families each year--helping young children better prepare for school and helping families find housing, employment and access to benefits.
You can help by collecting new or gently used linens before the new shelter opens on August 26. (This is a continuing need if schools can't make the August 26 date.)
bath towels
wash cloths
twin sized sheets
pillow cases
Open your heart to people who never imagined they would need your help. Collect these items and drop them off at:
Van Buren Center
595 Van Buren Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43223
Questions? Contact Charity Eilerman at 614-715-2030 x211 or ceilerman@csb.org. And visit www.csb.org to learn about volunteer opportunities at the new shelter.
DRIVING QUESTION: "How can we engage our students as researchers, writers, filmmakers, scientists, social scientists, mathematicians, translators, artists, musicians, technology experts, etc. to support this need of the Columbus Shelter Board?"
Service-Learning can take the form of direct service, education and awareness, advocacy, and/or philanthropy/fundraising. Please post ideas about how you and your students are meeting/could meet the CSB needs while enriching teaching and learning. (See Service-Learning/Project Based Learning Planning Model as a way to organize your thoughts.)