Making a House a Home
Women escaping the streets, a bad relationship or drug addiction need shelter. But a house is not a home, as the saying goes, and many women find getting back on their feet easier in furnished surroundings.
That's the idea behind the Soroptimist International of Butler County's “A Place to Lay My Head” project that improves apartments used by women needing a temporary place to live.
Started two years ago by Soroptimist President Diane Dancik, the club works with county organizations to provide furniture, appliances and household items for apartments housing women in transition.
Dancik said helping women in the county is the club's purpose.
“I was appalled to find out women and children were sleeping on floors in Butler County,” said Dancik.
“A Place to Lay My Head” has been working with the Lighthouse Foundation which owns or rents 18 apartments for people in transition.
Cindy Cipoletti, executive director of the Lighthouse Foundation, said, “We have a few different facilities. We have five units for single-parent families. We have six units for single- or two-parent families. And then we have four units for single women 18 to 29 and three units for single men, 18 to 29,” she said.
“The facility that the Soroptimists helped us out with is on Kaufman Drive in Butler,” Cipoletti said. “These are townhomes.”
“They (the Soroptimists) supply the furniture. They went in and decorated it and just made it beautiful,” said Cipoletti.
They've been working together, the Lighthouse and the Soroptimists, for about two years, said Cipoletti.
Dancik said Catholic Charities acts as the clearinghouse for people seeking emergency shelter in Butler County. Some clients are referred by area churches.
Cipoletti said, “Our goal is to transition people to self-sufficiency.”
So to further that aim, clients have to be out of Lighthouse accommodations in 18 to 24 months. They are not charged, at first, but after the first few months, the tenants pay a nominal amount of up to $300 a month to get them used to dealing with a rent bill.“We give them the skills they need to transition and the skills they need to prepare to live on their own,” said Cipoletti.“Everybody has a unique set of circumstances. They were tossed out by family members, they aged out of the foster system and don't have anywhere to go. They are leaving an abusive relationship and don't have any money,” said Cipoletti.Lighthouse said its properties are all full.Amy Corelli, family development worker at the Lighthouse, said, “The Soroptimists had emailed (Butler County) Human Services, and Human Services sent out an email to all housing programs, and we responded to it.”Corelli said the Soroptimists have been able to furnish three full apartments.She said, “They've also provided tables and refrigerators.”The clients take everything with them when they leave, Dancik said.There is a survey that clients take when they move in, Corelli said.“They are asked if they are confident in achieving their goals and confident in their own stability,” said Corelli.Dancik said “A Place to Lay My Head” will continue after her term as club president is over next month.In fact, this year, according to Dancik, the organization is also teaming with Butler County Human Services. That agency is also refurbishing apartments for women who need temporary shelter through the Nonprofit Development Corp.Dancik said the apartments are due to be rented out in June.
There will be no shortage of clients for future Soroptimist furnishing efforts, said Mark Lane, director of transitional housing for the Lighthouse Foundation.“We've got about 15 people on the waiting list,” Lane said.“It's kind of hard to say how long the wait is. Some clients stay 18 months or a few months, and we get referrals all the time,” Lane said.While they are waiting, Lane said, “People stay down at the Safe Harbor shelter or they stay with friends or they stay at places they shouldn't.”This mission to help women help themselves was reflected in the Soroptimist International of Butler County award winners announced earlier this month during the group's annual spring luncheon.Peggy Hutchison was chosen as the Community Ruby Award winner.Dancik said Hutchison was one of the first to donate furniture to the club's efforts to make the transition apartments feel more like a home.Hutchison said, “I gave some dishes, glasses and I think probably some linens.”Over the effort's two years, Hutchison said she has continued to contribute. “It's a wonderful project that they started. I've talked to the women who were involved in this. One said it was a major turning point in her life.”It was just the latest in Hutchison's long career of taking initiative to improve society.“Hutchison was nominated for being a volunteer and making the world a better place for women in the community,” said Dancik.Soroptimist member Pat Norling was named Club Ruby Award Winner for her “help with everything,” Dancik said.Rachel Goodman, a Butler County Community College nursing student won a $1,000 scholarship to continue her studies toward a master's degree.Denise Dingel won a $500 scholarship to help her continue to pursue a degree in psychology at Butler County Community College.
