COVID-19 has greatly impacted Samaritan House and many non-profit organizations. We struggle to keep up with the ever changing information and guidelines in order to keep our residents and staff healthy and avoid spreading the virus. But, the impact is far greater than just a health crisis, it has also created a funding crisis. At Samaritan House we rely heavily on the community for funding and in-kind donations to operate the shelter. Each year we must raise 50% of our operating costs through donations, private grants, and fundraisers. These funds come from individuals, groups, businesses, churches and organizations-many of which have been put on hold or are no longer meeting. Due to economic uncertainty, monetary donations have nearly ceased. Also, the lack of goods in the marketplace and the quarantine has practically dried up the in-kind donations coming into the shelter. Without community support Samaritan House, along with many other non-profits, will struggle to make it through this pandemic. At this time, many funds are being made available for homeless prevention. This is necessary in order to keep the congregate shelter population to a minimum to reduce the spread of COVID-19 while we prepare as a community and a country. These dollars are of vital importance to the fight, however they don’t address the loss of income to shelters. Fortunately, as part of the CARES Act recently passed, tax payers may be able to take a $300 above the line tax deduction on their 2020 taxes. This means even if you do not itemize your taxes, you could benefit from this deduction while supporting qualifying charities. We anticipate a surge in the need for services in the coming months and are doing all that we can to ensure that we remain a viable resource to homeless and/or abused women and children in our community. We ask that if you are financially able, please consider donating to Samaritan House and other local charities to help during this difficult time.

If you would like to support Samaritan House please mail donations to 328 W. McKibben St. Lima, OH 45801 or donate online through PayPal