said Chris Linscott, a staff member at the Timothy House. It's the great equalizer ... and it's an opportunity to eliminate distinctions between class and just be together.
At least half of those present that night had come to the Timothy House on Central Avenue for shelter. For 30 years, Good Works, the faith-based nonprofit that owns the Timothy House, has provided service to the homeless. Tomorrow, the eighth annual Walk for the Homeless to benefit Good Works will begin 9 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 2 S. College St.
Fourteen people sat down together at the Timothy House for dinner on a Tuesday night. As everyone at the table said what they were thankful for that day - many mentioning the beef stroganoff dinner - it was impossible to tell who among the guests was homeless.
Something that people have done since time and memorial was gather around a table to eat said Chris Linscott, a staff member at the Timothy House. It's the great equalizer ... and it's an opportunity to eliminate distinctions between class and just be together.
At least half of those present that night had come to the Timothy House on Central Avenue for shelter. For 30 years, Good Works, the faith-based nonprofit that owns the Timothy House, has provided service to the homeless. Tomorrow, the eighth annual Walk for the Homeless to benefit Good Works will begin 9 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 2 S. College St.
All of the funds raised from the walk will be used to offset the annual $180,000 to $200,000 cost it takes to keep the Timothy House operational, said Keith Wasserman, founder and executive director of Good Works.
The Timothy House is only one project of Good Works. The organization has grown to include many programs such as the Hannah House, which provides transitional housing for those who used to be homeless.
Good Works has grown so much. It seems far removed from its modest beginning in Wasserman's basement three decades ago.
An Inspiration
During his senior year at Ohio University, Wasserman, who was in a program called Mental Health Technology, renovated the basement of his Elliott Street home into a space for the displaced.
Jack Frech, director of Athens County Job and Family Services since 1981, recalled Wasserman visiting his office looking for donations, cleaning supplies and anything else available to help the shelter.
He has just absolutely been a tireless advocate for homeless people and poor people in general Frech said. ... He's inspired countless other local citizens and students and volunteers to stay focused on the needs of poor people.
Frech added that until Good Works, there was no permanent homeless shelter in the area. Today, the Timothy House remains the only homeless shelter in Athens County and serves the needs of the rural homeless in the entire region.
In 1984 Wasserman had already founded Good Works, and the nonprofit purchased the property for a shelter, which was later named the Timothy House in 2001 to avoid confusion with Good Works' other projects such as the Hannah House. The Timothy House is named after Wasserman's son, who is now 19. Wasserman has been married to his wife Darlene for 28 years.
Homelessness
In 2009, 71 households self-identified themselves as homeless out of 221 surveys returned to the Athens County Housing Coalition. Ninety respondents said they were not living in permanent housing at the time of the biennial survey, and about 72 percent of respondents reported being homeless at some point in their life.
But homelessness rates can be extremely hard to measure, Frech said.
I think in rural communities it's not quite as visible because people will live in old buses
chicken coops and tents to have a roof over their head
he said. There are hundreds of people who are living in substandard housing and many others have no place to live at all.
From 1997 to 2006, the Timothy House sheltered nearly 1,500 different individuals. In 2008, the Timothy House turned away about 80 people because of space limitations. And in early 2009, the Athens Zoning Board of Appeals refused to have a building next to the Timothy House rezoned for extra capacity to house families, Wasserman said.
The legal limit (at the Timothy House) is 15
but we've had as many as 21
he said.
The Timothy House has three part-time and four full-time staff members. Good Works has 12 other full-time staff members and about 1,100 individuals volunteered for the nonprofit last year, Wasserman said.
Good Works received $582,801 in direct public support and $83,177 in government grants for the fiscal year July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008, according to its tax return. Good Works posted an excess of $147,678 in that time.
None of the board members receive a salary from Good Works, except Wasserman who earns $62,075 annually as executive director.
Even though the Timothy House is a homeless shelter, those who stay there give just as much to the staff, Wasserman said.
I think it's really important that we create more opportunities for people to help themselves
he said. ... Sometimes I wonder whether our need to give people things is greater than the things people need from us. It's a delicate dance for the generosity of people and the dignity of those receiving.
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