Life Hub’s Winter Shelter To Open Dec. 15, Providing Area’s Homeless a Safe Haven

Eric Ayres

WHEELING -- The Life Hub will open a winter shelter for the local homeless population on Dec. 15 at its new location in the former First English Lutheran Church building in downtown Wheeling.

Officials from The Life Hub on Monday announced the opening date of this season's winter shelter. The Life Hub coordinated the winter shelter last year in collaboration with Catholic Charities West Virginia, which this past winter offered space in the ballroom of its facility on Main Street in Centre Wheeling.

Local organizations are once again collaborating on the effort to provide shelter during the area's harsh winter months. This will be the 14th year that a winter shelter has been organized by local humanitarian organizations. For a number of years, Youth Services System Inc. operated its Winter Freeze Shelter at different locations in the city to serve the needs of the unhoused.

Melissa Adams, homeless liaison for the city of Wheeling and interim executive director of The Life Hub, described the winter shelter as a "safe haven" that provides a vital need for members of the local homeless population.

"It offers a place where they are safe, it provides a place to be warm and it's a place where we can provide services that are needed -- whether that be for housing, mental health, addiction … all of those things that are common within the homeless community," Adams said. "It also helps the community by having the homeless people off of the streets."

Officials with The Life Hub noted that last winter, more than 250 individuals received needed shelter in the low-barrier winter shelter. Adams thanked the Most Rev. Mark Brennan, Bishop of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese for their generosity in providing space for last year's winter shelter, where an average of 40 individuals were provided shelter each night.

At the new facility, The Life Hub will be able to accommodate around 50 people per night. Beds are already on hand from previous winter shelter operations, officials noted.

Adams said The Life Hub will continue working with other community agencies to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless in the area -- working with each individual person to help break the cycle of homelessness and get them on the path to being housed.

"It hurts my heart to see people struggle in that way," Adams said. "I just want to do my best to provide a place for them. This (Life Hub) is a place of our own where we can stay open a little longer, we can close a little later ... all of those kinds of things."

Currently, The Life Hub has raised enough money to operate the winter shelter from Dec. 15 to March 15, which was the target time period. However, additional funding is being accepted to help the shelter open earlier or later beyond the heart of the cold weather season.

The winter shelter will be open in the evenings only for overnight stays. During the day, homeless individuals will have to seek shelter elsewhere. Other locations will be open during the day -- such as the House of Hagar, the Neighborhood Center and locations where eligible individuals can be housed in higher-barrier shelter settings, officials explained. Several unhoused individuals work, they added.

"If you'd like to make any donations of hats, gloves, socks or anything like that -- you can reach out to us, or you can mail a check," Adams said. "The Life Hub will collaborate with many organizations to ensure people have shelter and meet their basic needs during the upcoming winter. Community partners will be providing meals, clothes, services and pathways into housing once again, addressing hunger, housing, health, mental health, addiction, housing, employment and transportation."

While the winter shelter will serve as a low-barrier shelter during the Ohio Valley's harsh winter months, it is the long-term goal of The Life Hub to establish a low-barrier shelter on a year-round basis at the former church.

"The Life Hub purchased the church building in May of 2023 with plans to construct on-site a fully functioning, low-barrier shelter, along with a medical respite and space for collaborative services," said Joyce Wolen, executive director of the Wheeling Housing Authority and board vice president of The Life Hub. "Looking at the history of this building -- it started out as a missionary, which I think is very appropriate with the work we're doing with the homeless individuals. We're providing a safe space where they can be during the winter."

The Wheeling Housing Authority has championed affordable housing locally since 1937 and operates as a fiscal administrator for The Life Hub.

"We've created a unique opportunity with The Life Hub for the Housing Authority to be a partner in homelessness initiatives," Wolen said. "We will continue to work with local nonprofits and the city of Wheeling to find solutions for supportive services as well as affordable permanent housing options for individuals and families."

The sanctuary in the former church building may likely be used for non-denominational services in the future, officials indicated.

"The faith-based community has always stepped up to minister and meet the basic needs of individuals and families in crisis," said Deacon George Smoulder, executive director of Catholic Charities and retired director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley. "We're asking for their assistance again this winter and long-term in providing prayers, support and solutions for those with the greatest needs."

John Moses, who served as CEO of Youth Services System for more than 40 years and has managed the winter shelter for the past 13 years, said The Life Hub leadership is grateful for all of the entities that have supported the winter shelter efforts through financial donations and in-kind contributions.

"We thank them for their continued support this year," Moses said. "The Life Hub winter shelter would not happen without it."

Operation of The Life Hub is fully supported by grant funding and donations. Officials said that donations from individuals and corporations are needed and accepted year-round. Checks may be made out to The Life Hub and can be mailed to P.O. Box 2089, Wheeling, W.Va. 26003. A website landing page is set up to accept electronic donations at lifehubwv.org.

For additional information about The Life Hub or its winter shelter, contact Adams at 304-234-3601 or madams@wheelingwv.gov, Wolen at 304-639-8429 or joyce@wheelingwv-pha.org, John Moses at 304-215-8904 or johnmoses@comcast.net or George Smoulder at 304-280-0008 or george_smoulder@yahoo.com.