- Provision of Basic Needs: OPI’s emergency shelter provides an essential, front line service for families and single women experiencing homelessness by meeting their basic survival needs for shelter, food, and clothing. Addressing the immediate crisis needs of unsheltered families and single women by removing them from imminent danger and stabilizing them in a safe supportive environment gives them the ability to begin to address the complex issues that have led to their homelessness.
- Personalized Program for Housing + Self Sufficiency: OPI’s comprehensive case management program, applies housing and self-sufficiency strategies that are targeted and recognize the diversity in experiences, challenges, compositions, and needs of the population we serve.
- Connection to Community Resources: Client’s are connected to public and community resources that provide assistance with obtaining housing, employment, transportation, childcare, healthcare, and obtaining vital records.
How Our Solution is Different
- Housing First : From the moment a family or single woman enrolls at the shelter they begin working on a comprehensive self-sufficiency and housing plan that is tailored to their specific needs.
- Family Focused: We keep families together. Our case management program is tailored to the unique needs of the family unit. Our child services program focuses on the unique needs of children who experience homelessness.
- Driven by Compassion not Rules: Our shelter has a low barrier to entry. There are no rules that exclude people from our services because we believe that all people are deserving of compassion. Our case management program is driven, not by inflexible rules and set timelines, but by the individual needs and strengths of the people we serve. We expect a lot from our clients as they rebuild their lives, but those expectations are driven by a deep understanding of what these individual families and women need.
- Community Based: We leverage the power of community to meet the needs of our clients. Clients can enjoy a hot, nutritious meal every night thanks to the generosity of local organizations – businesses, churches, restaurants— committed to helping their homeless neighbors. We have over 120 volunteers that provide more than 1,500 hours of service annually, working on projects, mentoring adults, tutoring children, running our pantry and so much more. Located in Sylvania Heights, our clients can access public services, enroll their children in local schools and are close to jobs.