Margaret Weisz has been the director of the Liberty Center of Sandusky County for 14 years.  She began working as a volunteer years before that.  The Liberty Center is the only homeless Sandusky County.  Margaret and the Liberty Center belong to an organization in Columbus, OH that looks at the bigger picture

COHHIO stands for the Coalition On Homelessness and Housing in Ohio.  It is made up of indiviuals from many agencies who are working together to end homeless in Ohio.  In May of 2009 congress passed and President Obama signed a piece of legislation called the Hearth Act.

When implemented it will change the whole picture of homelessness; the definition of being homeless, what qualifies one as homeless, how funding will be gained for its programs, and so many other details that will change the whole landscape of this social issue.

HUD-Housing and Urban Development are also a part of this program, as well as agencies that provide transitional and permanent low income housing.  Some improvements have already been made, but there is still much to do.  They are in the process of reorganizing a balance of the way large urban communities are serviced and the smaller rural communities.

The Hearth Act will take many years and many hands to make it work.  We have to not work for personal gain, but for the good of the nation’s homeless.  The trick is to get local agencies to work together to implement the big picture.  We can’t afford to act like a bunch of children fighting for the biggest piece of the pie.

Over the next several years COHHIO will also be working to find ways to prevent homeless before it gets a hold on individuals or communities.  Perhaps there will always be homeless among us, but we certainly can do a better job of caring for them.  Working together with no hidden agenda is the secret to our success.