Cedars, February 2018

February 2018 8 COVER STORY by Breanna Beers I n December of 2017, Bridges of Hope opened its doors to its first guests, converting a former elementary school into an emergency shelter. The road to opening Bridges of Hope was a three-year process of prayer and persistence until finally the nonprofit organization was finally able to confirm their purchase of the former Simon Kenton Elementary School in Xenia. The building was slated for demolition, but now it has been con- verted to serve the community in a new way. Jill Conkel, the shelter manager, said the mission of Bridges of Hope is threefold. “We’re trying to alleviate homelessness, help with ad- diction, and overcome poverty,” Conkel said. “We’re trying to meet the basic human needs that someone has.” Meeting the basic needs of food, shelter and safety, Conkel said, can empower individuals to take steps on their own toward economic and personal growth. By contrast, when someone is lacking the security of a roof over his or her head, it is much more difficult to begin searching for a job or dealing with addiction. Conkel explained the diffi- cult-to-grasp concept for Cedarville students by applying it to their daily lives. “How would you do as a student,” Conkel asked, “if you had to sleep outside, not sleep, watch yourself, not work, wondering where you’re going to eat next, and it’s really cold, and then you’ve got to go to class — how well do you per- form?” This, Conkel explained, is why Bridges of Hope was started. The shelter has already made an impact on the community in just the few weeks since it opened. “We’ve already heard in the few weeks that we’ve been open that more appointments are being kept at a local coun- seling place, more are going to recovery programs,” Conkel said. Homelessness is not an issue specific to Xenia, but rather a country-wide phenomenon. In addition, many of those who are homeless are not so of their own volition. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin- istration reports that approximately 30 percent of individ- uals experiencing chronic homelessness — those who have Photo by Jill Conkel Apex Church volunteers help to prepare clothes for distribution at the Bridges of Hope facility recently during a church work day. ‘Bridging’ the Gap Local homeless shelter ‘Bridges of Hope’ serves community needs