What to Do When a Resident is Experiencing Homelessness

1. Stay Calm and Listen

• Treat the resident with respect and dignity.
• Ask open-ended questions to understand their immediate needs.
• Avoid making assumptions about why they are homeless.

2. Identify Immediate Needs

Check for urgent concerns:

• Safety (Are they in danger?)
• Shelter (Do they have a safe place to stay tonight?)
• Food, water, or medical needs

If immediate danger exists:
Call 911 or appropriate emergency services.

3. Connect to Resources

Summit County CoC:

• Provides shelter referrals, rapid re-housing, homelessness prevention, and supportive services.
• Call: 234-312-0833 | Website: summitcoc.org

United Way 211 Summit County:

• A free, confidential 24/7 resource hotline.
• Staff can assess immediate needs and connect residents to shelters, food, healthcare, and other local services.
• Call: 211 | Website: 211summit.org

Why 211 is helpful:

• Quick access to multiple services in one call
• Covers crisis and non-crisis needs
• Bridges township staff to CoC and community partners

4. Make a Referral (If Appropriate)

• Gather basic information: name, age, family size, current location, urgent needs.
• Contact CoC at 234-312-0833 or 211 directly for guidance on next steps.
• Document the referral for internal records.

5. Follow-Up

• Stay in communication with CoC staff if possible.
• Offer information on local community resources (food pantries, churches, support groups).
• Encourage residents to reach out if conditions change.

6. Key Principles

• Act with compassion, patience, and confidentiality
• Respect township resident’s autonomy
• Your role is connection, not relocation

Contacts for Township Staff: 234-312-0833

• United Way 211 Summit County: 211 | 211summit.org

I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and partnership. These are indeed challenging times, yet together, we continue to make meaningful progress in our shared mission.

The team at the CoC is here to serve you and to support you in every way possible. Our commitment is to provide guidance, resources, and assistance so that together we can best serve those in our community who are less fortunate. At the same time, we know that true impact is achieved when we work collaboratively—sharing ideas, strategies, and responsibilities—to educate, inform, and empower one another.

Accountability and shared responsibility are essential. Each of us plays a critical role in both the successes we celebrate and the challenges we encounter. By embracing this collective responsibility, we strengthen our partnerships and ensure that we remain resilient, adaptable, and effective in the work we do.

As we move forward together, we vow to lead with passion, commitment, transparency, and genuineness. My dedication to our mission is unwavering, and I am committed to working alongside you to achieve our collective goals.

Thank you for your continued trust, collaboration, and commitment. I am confident that, together, we will persevere, overcome challenges, and continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.

– Christopher J. Richardson, Executive Director, Summit County Continuum of Care

News & Events