Expansion of St. Vincent men’s shelter nearly doubles its space
NEWARK − The area between the St. Vincent Haven men’s shelter and the thrift store is no longer a garden, but it will remain focused on growth, shelter leaders said.
Not only growth of the shelter, but growth for its desperate residents.
St. Vincent Haven unveiled on Friday a 24-bed shelter expansion, nearly doubling the size of its facility at 115 Union St., which opened in 2010.
The Haven turns away about 100 homeless men a year, including 113 in 2021, because the shelter is full. The 50bed Salvation Army shelter is frequently full, as well.
Tom Harvey, the St. Vincent Haven treasurer, co-chairman of the shelter capital campaign and past president, said expansion planning began because the shelter had to turn away so many due to lack of space.
“Homelessness is an issue in our community and the Haven is so blessed to be able to help -- not solve the problem -- but attack that problem and confront that problem,” Harvey said.
“We’re going to be able to serve 24 more men every day of the year, when in the past we didn’t have the ability to serve them. It shows to me what a giving community we live in to build and fund this expansion.”
Harvey said the Building Hope fundraising campaign started in July and has raised $3.8 million of its $5.5 million goal. Harvey thanked Herb Murphy, who he said has been a key element to the St. Vincent developments.
“This work started with one individual,” Harvey said. “That individual is Herb Murphy. Everything you see around here was through the generosity of Mr. Herb Murphy. It started with our thrift store. He then built the initial 26bed homeless shelter. He then built a 24unit affordable living apartment complex (The Gardens on Sixth). And now, he has a built a 24-unit addition to our beautiful homeless shelter.”
Murphy, retired from Mid-ohio Development, has said because he made money building housing, he wanted to give back in the form of housing opportunities.
“Everyone was talking about the homeless and I was in a position I could do something about it,” Murphy said. “The more I do, the more other people
will see it, and I hope they follow suit.”
In 2019, the annual January point-intime homeless count revealed 153 sheltered individuals and 45 un-sheltered in Licking County, for a total of 198. The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates the real number could be three times the actual count, which would boost the number to 594 homeless in the county.
The Licking County Coalition for Housing served 276 adults in 2022, up from 188 in 2021, and the most in five years. The number served included 86 unsheltered. The Newark Homeless Outreach serves about 100 people every Saturday, but not all are homeless.
John Paul Munhall, executive director of St. Vincent Haven, said the impetus for the expansion began many years ago.
“It was the recognition of the need in our community at least seven years ago and that continues to evolve,” Munhall said.
He said homeless individuals must pass a drug test, have no serious violent criminal history or sex offenses to become a resident of St. Vincent Haven.
Harvey said, “We have an action plan for our men. We help them find their next stop. We work with all the agencies in town.”
Cheri Hottinger, city councilwoman and co-chairwoman of the capital campaign, said the fund-raising effort has been an emotional journey.
“I have had tears listening to stories,” Hottinger said. “I feel very strongly about this organization. It’s not a cookie-cutter organization. They examine each person’s needs and issues. It’s different for every person who walks through the door.
“I didn’t realize they need so much. They don’t have the things we take for granted.”
Hottinger said the homeless issue is personal for her because her father, Roger Moss, was homeless and died at age 57 in 2007.
“If a program like this was around, would he be here today?” Hottinger wondered, with tears in her eyes.
Newark Mayor Jeff Hall praised not only the facility, but the philosophy of St. Vincent Haven.
“I think it’s phenomenal, an extremely important need in the community,” Hall said. “I love the hand up concept. The homeless people are like the rest of us. They don’t all have the same needs. It’s not just about food and shelter. It’s about much more than that.”
The mayor said homelessness is not a problem unique to Newark, but Newark’s response has been special.
“We have a lot of people with big hearts in this community,” Hall said. “It’s always a challenge. It’s not a complete solution.” kmallett@newarkadvocate.com 740-973-4539
Twitter: @kmallett1958