'It's going really well:' Public invited to see ACCESS facility Thursday at open house

It's been a busy year for the staffers who help provide temporary shelter for women and families in Ashland County.

The public is invited to see the progress 5 p.m. Thursday during an open house inside the Ashland Church Community Emergency Shelter Services — ACCESS — facility at 508 Claremont Ave.

The organization has housed guests in the building since 2016 and moved its office there last summer, according to Sunny McCarty, director of ACCESS.

"It's gone really well," McCarty said. "We've been able to offer Bible studies and financial classes on site. We've made some improvements to the property ... our neighbor relationships have increased with us being there."

'Striving to break the cycle of homelessness'

It was 2008 when a group of Ashland churches began the movement to provide a 90-day program of free housing, meals, transportation and mentoring to help women and families who had fallen on hard times get back on their feet.

"And 2016 is when it became kind of its own independent organization," McCarty explained. "The churches could no longer do it."

Local congregations still provide a large portion of the organization's finances, but now ACCESS operates independently.

The organization's website, AshlandAccess.com, says the nonprofit "works closely with other agencies such as the Mental Health Board, Kroc Center (Salvation Army), Safe Haven, Appleseed Community Mental Health Center, Ashland Associated Charities and ACADA (Ashland County for Alcohol and Drug Abuse)."

The mission is: "Striving to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty by stabilizing families of Ashland County in a safe and spiritual environment."

'We've had a pretty big increase this summer'

As of Friday there were 13 people living in the four ACCESS apartments.

"That's actually kind of high," McCarty said. "Right now, we're seeing a pretty big increase."

Staff with the nonprofit typically expect to see a larger number of guests during the cold winter months. Then, by summer, a large number of those in need like to seek temporary shelter outside, such as in campgrounds.

"We've had a pretty big increase this summer," McCarty said.

She checked her records to see if her suspicions were true. They were.

"Last year, we had 164 calls," McCarty said. "This year, we're just into July and we already have 78 calls. Summertime normally kind of slows down."

'That's how we survive is donations'

All that work requires a lot of funding, none of which is guaranteed for the ACCESS staff.

"That's how we survive is donations, grants and fundraisers," McCarty said.

The organization recently received a donation of $1,981 from Armstrong's Antlers and Anglers, a sporting showcase.

They also host several fundraisers throughout the year.

Anyone who feels charitable is encouraged to visit the nonprofit's website where they can make an online donation.

"We just actually set up reoccurring donations," McCarty said. "We just set it up to where they can give monthly."

For more information, call ACCESS at 419-903-0099.

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This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Public invited to see ACCESS facility Thursday during open house