OUR VISION

We believe that individuals experiencing homelessness are best served by local, fully-integrated, and personalized services. In providing low-barrier transitional housing and compassionate fellowship, we aim not only to fill a current local gap in services, but also unite the various organizations for the benefit of our clients. Forming relationships with the various service providers enables Homeward Bound Fellows to connect our clients with the specific resources they need, including mental health services, drug treatment programs, primary care, job interviewing and resume prep, social work, and more. We envision a Steubenville where people flourish, both by receiving compassionate help, and by helping others.

Our Programs

Low-barrier Transitional Housing

Homeward Bound fills a significant gap in local homeless services: low-barrier transitional housing. Despite abundant government-sponsored housing, many homeless individuals face unique challenges that prohibit them from acquiring housing and maintaining eligibility. Examples of such barriers include lack of documentation, complex psychopathology, and wages just high enough to disqualify benefit eligibility. Housing that is low-barrier solves this problem by requiring very little from unhoused persons to be placed in a home.

Fellowship Program

All clients we serve are enrolled in our Fellowship Program. Recognizing the critical role of community support, we pair clients with local citizens who are motivated to accompany others on the road to self-sufficiency. We believe that lifelong healing from trauma, abuse, PTSD, substance use disorder, and other struggles faced by homeless individuals requires the love and support of a community.

We aim to provide individuals experiencing homelessness with comprehensive and individualized services and genuine interest in their wellbeing. We connect our clients with existing local services, such as the Ohio Valley Health Clinic and The Urban Mission. For needs that aren’t currently met with local resources, we organize and coordinate support from the local community.

Our Values

What is the Housing First Model?

Homeless outreach is moving from a “treatment first” model to a “housing first” model. This means that individuals experiencing homelessness are eligible for housing without proof of sobriety or completion of recent residential drug treatment. This enables the homeless to form habits of success and establish and maintain sobriety while safe, warm, and sheltered in a stable home. According to a research brief from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, “Strong evidence exists that the Housing First model leads to quicker exits from homelessness and greater housing stability over time compared with treatment as usual.”

Fully-Integrated Homeless Services

Homeward Bound of Steubenville entered a lively scene of local homeless outreach initiatives, including The Urban Mission, Jefferson County Resource Network Center, The Friendship Room, Ohio Valley Health Center, and more. We deeply value local relationships with service providers and aim to improve local outreach by partnering with established organizations for the benefit of our clients.

Community is Critical

In an increasingly digital world, vibrant community is increasingly rare. However, we believe that community is an absolute necessity for human flourishing. Founded in 1795, Steubenville is a city with a population of 18,000 people spread across 10 square miles. We connect our clients with the local communities that exist within our beloved town; in so doing, we meet a critical prerequisite for human flourishing: community involvement. We feel that the community that embraces and serves its poor is better for it, and that serving the homeless improves the lives of both the volunteer and recipient.

True and Lasting Healing Is Possible

Although Individuals experiencing homelessness are a varied group, a significant percentage struggle with substance use disorders. A unique challenge to achieving drug sobriety is the increasingly addictive nature of illegal substances. Addicted individuals may have to try 30 to 40 times before finally achieving lasting abstinence. This process is extremely difficult for the user and those close to him or her. Many give up on their loved one who is facing this challenge. Homeward Bound is committed to walking with our clients on their journeys to sobriety.