By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — As homelessness appears to be increasing across the United States — including Warsaw — Fellowship Missions is gearing up for expansion plans to serve a growing population of those in need.
Homelessness in the U.S. reached a record high in 2024, according to a new survey from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The annual report found “more than 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2024,” which is a level 18% higher than the same time last year.
Eric Lane, executive director of Fellowship Missions, said he’s aware of the report and said they’re seeing some of that trend locally over the last 12 to 18 months.
Even during the regular summer season from April to October, Lane said the facility has seen an increase but added that he would not call it “drastic.”
“That need is increasing and we need to have different ways to be able to serve the individuals we’re serving in need — especially families — we’re seeing an increase in families,” Lane said.
The US Department of Housing says increased migration by asylum-seekers, lapses in pandemic-era programs and steep housing costs all contributed to the increase in homelessness.
Lane said he thinks the end of funding for pandemic assistance programs, including housing has had an impact locally.
“We knew at some point there was going to be a snowball (effect) from that because you’re living off of a false ceiling of hope with finances and when that’s yanked from you, what do you do next,” Lane said. “People get comfortable with that and then it’s gone.”
While some of it is connected to post-pandemic changes, he’s quick to point out that it’s more complicated than that.
Aside from increased need for housing, other issues are on the rise, he said.
“We’re seeing an increase in all different things. Substance misuse and mental health, we’re seeing those increase as well,” he said.
Fellowship Missions is working on a longterm expansion plan that would entail the demolition of the old Jo Mac property to the east of the existing shelter on Winona Avenue. Demolition is being coordinated with support from Macog and the city of Warsaw.
Officials could learn within weeks if a grant proposal has come through which could lead to demolition later this year.
The next step would be a fundraising campaign.
“That could take a bit of time. We want to build something appropriate for the need but also be very frugal with our funds,” Lane said.
They hope to construct a 50,000-square-foot facility that could provide about 100 beds.
The future design would include family pods, single-parent pods, rooms for individuals and space for recovery services.
The cost, he said would be upward of 14 to 18 million dollars.
“If we had 100 beds today, we would probably be at 90 percent capacity,” he said.
