Homeless and can't seem to find the right help (Toledo: apartment, insurance)

[TheGatters]

Me and fiancee are currently homeless in the Toledo area. We have been looking everywhere for somewhere good or decent to go to try and get a start. We moved up from the Norwalk area because that area is basically dead for jobs and the housing has waiting lists to long for us to wait.
We were referred to a St. Paul's church in Toledo for their 30 days program but the lady on the phone told us that the crime rate is so bad that she parks her vehicle 2 blocks away and walks to work every single day. With having our only posessions in the vehicle that doesn't even seem like a good idea at all. She even told us that she would suggest us having someone drop us off at the shelter and store our things would be a more for sure way of keeping any of it.
We stopped at only one or two churches in the Swanton area and they only keep sending us either towards Bowling Green or Toledo.
Neither one of us can go back and live with our families because of us choosing to be together and be happy we've now been essentially disowned by our families. The only thing the families will help with is only after we find a place to live. No one to cosign for a apartment.
We have put in at least 30 - 40 applications in the area between the both of us, even to places we aren't really qualified for. He has a job but we are waiting to hear back from that by the 6th of January. I have a job interview coming up soon. Granted they are only at a fast food place but it's something. We only got that because of his grandparents letting us stay with them for a few days but last night they told us that we can't stay there any longer because of the family not wanting to help either of us.
We aren't bad people, we just seem to keep running into really bad luck.. We really need some sort of help or some good advice.
Any help people? Please?

[TheGatters]

The e-mail to get a hold of us is
[email]thegatters@yahoo.com[/email]

[ryansmith]

This scenario has become really common these days... once a week Fox Toledo interviews a Cherry St Mission (on Monroe Street) resident that has done absolutely nothing wrong that has ended up at the mission.

Unfortunately, jobs in Toledo are hard to come by, just like anywhere else. I find that it is best to be proactive in the job search. Figure out what job you want before it is posted and proactively contact them and express and interest. Once a job is posted... thousands of applications are likely to come in and you have little hope of standing out. If you are proactive, the employer is going to remember you and know that you are really interested in the job, not just someone that will take the job, because it is a job.

I would say the first place I would go in your position is FOCUS on Ashland between Bancroft and Collingwood... they have multiple ways of helping people in your position and have housing available for people on hard times... they also have an outreach for your more immediate needs.

There are several shelters in Toledo... the most populated are Cherry St (male) on Monroe and Sparrows Nest (female) on Delaware... Toledo Rescue Mission has a stricter policy on sobriety and tends to be less rowdy because of it. You can also contact Lutheran Social Services... they have a shelter, but I don't remember for sure what it is called.

Whatever you do, get help ASAP... it was 14 degrees the last time I checked... you can't continue to stay in a car.

[ryansmith]

FOCUS:

2283 Ashland Ave, Toledo, OH 43620

419-244-2175

FOCUS - Family Outreach Community United Services of Toledo

[imtheresearcher]

The first letter said alot. We have been unemployed and homelss since the first of the year. It is hard looking for work when you live in your car! We have gotten assistance from various churches and organizations. We soon will run out of unemployment. Where is the help Toledo??

[Oleg Bach]

FAMILY- a lot of homeless people end up at the bottom - not so much about being broke- but because they may have burned their last and only bridge- their family and extended family...Make sure you have a lot of kids- they make good insurance when you are old- good luck.

[Rebek56]

Does anyone know what became of the original poster?

[OhioJB]

Originally Posted by imtheresearcher

The first letter said alot. We have been unemployed and homelss since the first of the year. It is hard looking for work when you live in your car! We have gotten assistance from various churches and organizations. We soon will run out of unemployment. Where is the help Toledo??

My mother volunteers in the front office of one of the local churches. They get alot of people asking for help, but unfortunately many of those people are drug addicts looking to score a little money so they can score a little dope. Not really looking for help, so it's not always easy to determine who's needy and who's pulling a scam. But they refer people to Toledo Area Ministries at 419-242-7401. Address is 444 Floyd Street. I don't know if that's in a good area or not. From what I understand people fill out an application to see what they qualify for.

Good luck. I see your post was from a month ago, so you might have already received the help you need.

[imtheresearcher]

Still Around. Sometimes it is hard to get to a computer. Health issues such as heart and bad knee (plus being almost 60......gasp!!) the doctors are looking as disability. Thanks for the input.

Researcher

[kcmoney]

Originally Posted by Oleg Bach

FAMILY- a lot of homeless people end up at the bottom - not so much about being broke- but because they may have burned their last and only bridge- their family and extended family...Make sure you have a lot of kids- they make good insurance when you are old- good luck.

Wow, that's really bad advise. Children are not insurance policies you selfish POS.