Harmony House changes name, with vision of helping those gain freedom from homelessness
To show proper representation to all their services and better highlight their mission, Harmony House Homeless Services is excited to announce they have changed their name to Wayfinders Ohio.
"We do so much more than exclusively provide shelter to the homeless population. And we just felt the old name didn't accurately represent the full scope of what we do here," said Executive Director, Kelly Blankenship.
The name Wayfinders Ohio is meant to represent how the shelter not only provides safe housing but also helps individuals and families experiencing homelessness find their way back to the life they want to live.
“The vision we have for Wayfinders is to do more than just get people off the street for a short period of time,” said Blankenship.
“We want to be able to treat the whole person –- identify and address the issues that precipitated their homeless situation, so we can help ensure lasting freedom from homelessness and instill the confidence in them that they can become and remain independent members of our community.”
To do this, Wayfinders Ohio makes sure to adhere to the needs of each individual that walks through the door. They focus on the immediate needs of the person first -- providing a warm bed, clean clothes, food, a shower and more so they can take a moment to breathe and rest.
After a few days, the Wayfinders team will begin to work with them to better understand their circumstances and individual needs. They work together to create a custom plan that works through the obstacles standing in their way to long-lasting freedom from homelessness. Often that means connecting them with the resources that will be right for them, including various types of medical care, employment training and education, legal help, addiction services, and more.
These resources already exist but are spread throughout the community. Issues like access to transportation and technology can make it difficult for a homeless individual to easily connect to the resources they need. That’s why it’s important that a shelter brings all of these elements together in one place.
Wayfinders Ohio is changing the story to helping individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and with that, a name change was necessary.
With the name change they are excited to also announce a brand new website where you can find more information about their vision and specific services. To help support transformation and freedom, learn more about becoming a Wayfinders supporter.