Fellowship Missions Continues To Meet The Needs Of Local Homeless
WARSAW — Nine years ago Eric Lane was working at Warsaw Community Church, involved with a winter shelter program between seven local churches. In April 2010 Lane and his wife opened Fellowship Missions.
“We saw a bigger need. By the end of March, we knew where these guys were going to go and it didn’t feel right,” Lane said. Fellowship Missions started with one home offering seven beds to men in the spring of 2010. By mid-December 2010 a women’s house opened.
Prior to 2010 there was no homeless shelter in the Warsaw area and Fellowship Missions saw more of a need for providing men shelter. Lane said the need for shelter hasn’t increased since Fellowship Mission has become part of the community. The question may be in the actual numbers. “How many are sleeping on couches? In tents? There are tent cities. There are a few abandoned buildings used,” Lane said.
“There is no cookie cutter (homeless) person,“ Lane said. “You close your eyes and tell someone to picture a homeless person … Just that word ‘homeless’ has a stigma. You wouldn’t pick out our residents from anyone else.”
Fellowship Missions’ goal is to help its clients get back on their feet and teach them the skills necessary to live a healthy productive life. It does that through numerous partnerships with other local and regional agencies.
The people who come through Fellowship Missions doors range from the 55-60-year old who didn’t save and the factory where he worked shut down, to people who lost their home due to a natural disaster or may have a mental illness. Its current location offers 46 beds and throughout 2018 had 100 percent occupancy.
On extremely cold nights, cots are set up for those who may have come in late. Lane said he will squeeze as many people as safely possible into the shelter when temperatures dip. “We’re not going to let anyone freeze,” he asserted.
The average day for a client is about 100 days and Fellowship Missions offers a catalyst program, which takes about two years to complete, to help clients break the cycle of homelessness. The four phase self-help program assists clients with spiritual, mental and physical health; offers parenting classes; classes on boundaries; and help learning about finances. Fellowship Missions also offers assistance in finding permanent housing and a job.
Lane stressed the focus is on building relationships with clients. “We do things with residents, not to them,” he said. Throughout the program, clients meet with a mentor at least once a week.
The facility also recently purchased the property next door with help from a K21 Foundation grant. Fellowship Missions needs to expand for more beds and classroom space. The facility also offers a community garden and hydroponic garden to help provide food for the 4,000 meals served each month at Fellowship Missions.
Along with a small staff of four, Fellowship Missions has a large force of volunteers who help teach the courses. “We have great volunteers and great residents,” Lane said. “We want them to have a buy in this. This is their house, this is their home.”
Lane is focused on educating the public about the work Fellowship Missions does. Public tours are offered once a quarter. He is also available as a speaker for service clubs.