Plans, timeline for homeless shelter coming Tuesday

Local residents are invited to attend an informational session Tuesday, Aug. 21 at Greencastle City Hall to hear a progress report on efforts to establish a homeless shelter program for the Putnam County area.

Homeless Solutions Inc., the newly created nonprofit organization dedicated to the mission of providing shelter and related services to area households that are experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty, is expected to announce its operational plans and a timeline for opening at the Tuesday meeting.

An open discussion will follow the 7 p.m. presentation.

Homeless Solutions Inc. has been meeting for several months, attempting to revive and reopen a local homeless shelter. Greencastle has been without a homeless shelter since A-Way Home closed its doors Sept. 9, 2011 due to ongoing financial issues.

Joel Rekas of Bloomington has been serving as acting executive director of Homeless Solutions Inc. the past three months. Bill Wieland is president of the board.

The inaugural board of directors includes Alan Barber, David English, Bob Jedele, Ann Newton, Gary Lemon, Jerry Lewis, Heather Poynter, Ruth Ralph, Bob Sedlack, Beth Tharp and Wieland.

Rekas has said publicly that he has recommended the new Homeless Solutions Board have a full year's operating budget in hand before opening the shelter and will need a "very diverse funding base."

"I think we're going to be smart, creative and approach this from many different angles," he said speaking earlier this summer to the Greencastle Kiwanis Club.

For more information, persons may contact Bill Wieland at 653-3548.