Among the stacks of furniture and household goods in a warehouse off Route 462 in Columbia, there is hope. Off the Streets Susquehanna is providing a helping hand to homeless people who are transitioning to a home of their own.
"We set people up with everything they need to get started in their apartment," explained Karen Sahd, co-administrator. Recipients are referred to Off the Streets by organizations such as Tenfold and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.
"These are people who have been vetted to confirm they can afford the monthly rent for an apartment," stated Peg Beaver, co-administrator. The client secures the housing, and Off the Streets pays any initial fees required to move in, such as the first and last months' rents or a security deposit. The money is paid directly to the landlord, and then Off the Streets volunteers get to work delivering basic household items - anything from silverware to cleaning supplies.
"Most of the items we give out are donated by the community, but we do purchase some things," said Beaver, noting that new pillows and mattresses are among these items.
Mike Sahd, treasurer of Off the Streets, oversees a group of volunteers who pick up items to bring to the storage site and who also deliver items to the new homeowners. Off the Streets Susquehanna has no paid staff, and all money for the program is raised through donations.
Off the Streets began in Connecticut under the direction of Deacon Michael Oles. In 2012, Oles was assigned to St. John Neumann Parish in Lancaster, where he started a local Off the Streets program. The Columbia organization began after Oles came to a few local churches to speak about the program, and a core group of people realized that Columbia could benefit from an Off the Streets chapter.
"There is a lot of need for this program in Columbia," Mike stated, noting that Off the Streets began collecting items in a shed in his yard in 2018. Soon, the collection outgrew that space and was moved into a smaller warehouse before outgrowing that as well. Thanks to an arrangement with Kleen-Rite Corp., Off the Streets Susquehanna has been able to sort and store items in its current warehouse and attached trailers since 2020.
Since its inception, the organization has provided more than $11,000 in security deposits and has helped 43 families, including 66 adults and 35 children, get off the streets and into a home. Although the organization is based in Columbia, it has also served people in Mount Joy, Elizabethtown and Wrightsville, among other areas.
Currently, the organization needs donations of new or gently used household goods. No food or clothing is accepted. For more information, including details on how to donate financially, visit http://www.offthestreetsnow.com or email otssusq@gmail.com.
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