DAVID & REBECCA BARRON CENTER FOR MEN

Shelterhouse, which operates the Barron Center, is Cincinnati’s largest emergency shelter provider, offering basic human services to over 3,000 people annually. Formerly known as the Drop Inn Center, Shelterhouse had a previous facility on Elm Street, which lacked the operational and physical infrastructure to keep up with daily demand. There was a single restroom with nine showers for 180 men, no separation for sick patients, and only two washer/dryer units for all of the shelter’s male clients. The operational efficiencies of the organization  were severely limited. Additionally, dated and non-functional kitchen equipment, along with limited space for recurring programming and case management for the chronically homeless desperately needed to be addressed. The new facility, named The David & Rebecca Barron Center for Men, houses 150 beds for men; smaller sleeping quarters that allow more privacy, safety and cleanliness; full-day services; expanded day-time programming; an increased ratio of case workers to residents; a modern kitchen for three daily meals; and an updated laundry facility.

The David & Rebecca Barron Center is part of the five-facility system called for in Cincinnati’s Homeless to Homes Plan, which aims to provide comprehensive services necessary for homeless individuals to obtain and maintain housing.