Sheltering homeless families more challenging than ever

The pandemic has made it far more challenging and expensive to provide homeless families with the services they need to get back on track.

That makes the Bethany House Services' annual Ales to Zinfandels event more important than ever this year.

THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HASBEEN DEVASTATING FOR FAMILIESEXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS INGREATER CINCINNATI."BETHANYHOUSE SERVICES" HAS SHELTEREDHUNDREDS OF HOMELESS PARENTSAND CHILDREN IN HOTEL ROOMSSINCE MARCH.BUT THEORGANIZATION HAS NO IDEA HOWLONG THE FUNDING WILL LAST TOKEEP THAT UP.REPORTER LUCY MAYINTRODUCES US TO ONE MOM WHO'SCOUNTING ON BETHANY HOUSEWHILE SHE AND HER FAMILY GETBACK ON THEIR FEET."It broke me bigtime."CATHERINE PORTER THOUGHT SHEAND HER HUSBAND HAD A NEWPLACE TO LIVE AFTER THEYLEARNED THEIR FAMILY HAD TOMOVE."It turned out that the lastday when we go to sign thelease and move in there, theguy didn't want to rent to usbecause of my husband'srace."THE FAMILY ENDED UP HOMELESS,WITH PORTER AND HER HUSBANDSLEEPING IN THEIR CAR AND HERDAUGHTERS STAYING WITHRELATIVES FOR WEEKS.THEN THEYFOUND BETHANY HOUSESERVICES."The Bethany House savedus."BETHANY HOUSE USUALLY SHELTERSFAMILIES AT ITS CONGREGATESHELTERS - LIKE THIS ONE INFAIRMOUNT.BUT THE NONPROFITEMPTIED THE SHELTERS AND MOVEDFAMILIES INTO HOTEL ROOMS INMARCH BECAUSE OF THECORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC.Bethany House did not want tobe responsible for oumoms orour children getting thevirus.

Nor did we want to beresponsible for any communityspread.""Moving the families to thehotel, while in the beginningwe got a reduced rate becausethe hotels were empty, we nolonger get that reduced rate.We had to hire a securityperson to be at the hotel forus.

We have the additionallaundry expenses.

Just all thedifferent supplies that youneed nowadays, whether it'smasks, hand sanitizers,cleaners."BETHANY HOUSE HOPES TO RAISE$75,000 TO HELP COVER THOSECOSTS THROUGH ITS ANNUAL ALESTO ZINFANDELS FUNDRAISER -WHICH WILL BE VIRTUAL THISYEAR OVER THREEEVENINGS."We're trying to raise moremoney this year because of theneed, and we're just hopingthat people will feelcomfortable participating andfeel comfortable supportingourfamilies."FAMILIES LIKE PORTER'S -- WHOWANT TO GET BACK ON THEIRFEET."Being in our own home andbeing able to cook in own homeand going outside, playing inour backyard or just havingfamily time.

Like, we missthose days, like, we want itback."LUCY MAY, WCPO NINE NEWS.YOU CAN BUY TICKETS THROUGHFRIDAY FOR THE "ALES TOZINFANDELS" FUNDRAISER TOSUPPORT BETHANY HOUSE.THEEVENT STARTS SEPTEMBER 23RD.YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW RIGHT NOWIN LUCY'S STORY ON WCPO-DOT-