National Homeless, Hunger Awareness Week Nov. 14-22
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
National Homeless and Hunger Awareness Week started this past Saturday and goes through Sunday. The week is being sponsored by the Coalition For The Homeless to bring awareness of homelessness and hunger across the United States. “Homelessness is an issue here as well,” according to Eric Lane, Fellowship Missions executive director. Lane said the homeless shelter currently has 47 residents and serves six children, 24 men and 17 women. Fellowship Missions has been at 1520 E. Winona Ave. for a year now, and the mission has been in the community for 5-1/2 years. Lane said donations needed include canned goods and hygiene products, which can be dropped off at the shelter. Fellowship Missions has a partnership with the Northern Indiana Food Bank and Fellowship Missions can purchase food for 18 cents per pound. “We average 120 meals a day and serve over 4,000 meals a month and over 40,000 meals a year,” Lane said. Fellowship Missions residents discussed how the shelter has helped them. Mark Hoffman, 51, shelter resident for six weeks, said he was living with family in Akron and became disabled after living in Houston, Texas. “I found Fellowship Missions on the Internet and have enjoyed staying here,” he said. Marjorie Mullins, 58, shelter resident since June 17, 2014, said the shelter has helped her. “I’ve lived by myself and had to quit my job because I had lung problems and couldn’t be around chemicals anymore,” Mullins said. “When I ran out of money, I sold my items and moved to the shelter.” Mullins said she is a house monitor for the women’s and children’s shelter and makes sure rules are followed. Curt Clevenger, 52, has been a resident for the past nine months. He had been living at the Economy Inn Hotel in Warsaw, and before that was a resident at Serenity House, a local men’s recovery home. “I struggled with addictions for 30-plus years, mostly alcohol,” Mullins said. He said he went to Bowen Center, and after he received treatment he was referred to Fellowship Missions. “I got in a program to help build a relationship with God and (found) that there is hope for me,” Mullins said. He now works for a lawn care service. Rose Long, 54, has been a resident since Nov. 9. “My father just passed away and I was living with him, and needed a place to stay, so I came to the shelter,” Long said. She said she found out about the shelter through a friend. “I got an apartment before coming to the mission, but was unable to afford the rent,” Long said. She said she would be sleeping in her storage locker if she didn’t live at the shelter.
