By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Fellowship Missions is preparing to open four transitional homes in coming months in Kosciusko County.
Much of the funding has already been lined up, but Fellowship Missions, which operates a homeless shelter in Warsaw, was granted $175,000 in opioid settlement money allocated by a Kosciusko County committee on Thursday.
The plan is to open two houses for men, another for women, and a fourth that will serve mothers with children at the old Riverwood Ranch property on Old Road 30 in Warsaw by the end of the year.
On Thursday, Lane was seeking financial support from a Kosciusko County committee that oversees the allocation of money from the federal opioid settlement.
“What we were asking for today was for them to help us get an all-women’s home as well,” Lane said.
Fellowship Missions will oversee the properties.
“Everybody knows it’s kind of tough to find housing right now in our community, and that’s actually a big barrier for a lot of our residents trying to move on,” Lane said. “And so we are actively seeking ways to help them better their lives, and housing is a big hurdle in that.”
The county also provided money previously to purchase land that is now home to The Gathering Place in downtown Warsaw.
He expressed appreciation for Thursday’s decision.
“Every little bit helps,” he said. “I mean, I feel very fortunate, blessed that they approved what they did for us. I mean, my goodness!”
Two other groups also received opioid settlement money at the direction of a county committee.
LITE Recovery will receive $75,000 to expand services at its Milford youth center, known as Rise Up. Serenity House will receive $30,000 to be divided up to pay for small upgrades at three residential homes.
Fellowship had sought $200,000. LITE Recovery asked for $109,000 and Serenity wanted $30,000.
The committee is composed of Sue Ann Mitchell, Joe Irwin, and Tony Ciriello.
