Commissioners Hear Grant Request

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The Ohio District Council of Pentecostal Churches began serving Muskingum County through senior care nearly a century ago, but with the changing times the organization now sees homelessness as a greater need to be addressed.

Bishop David Parker II met with Muskingum County Community Development Director Kyle Dunn and the county commissioners to request community block grant development funding for repurposing their property into a campus that will rehabilitate the less fortunate and get them back on their feet. 

“Our intentions are to make sure that anybody that comes into that facility is able to be cared for and respected,” Parker II said. “Providing clean, safe and humane shelter for those who are homeless, those who are stuck out in the cold. And even when the cold leaves that they can be a part of the program that will work to help people how to read, how to be able to get a job, get certified and provide safe housing for them as they go on to owning their own home.”

The ODC has 75 acres along the East Pike that they are considering to develop along with two local, affiliated churches and 98 years vested here in the community. Parker noted that if the grant cannot be obtained that the project will still continue, just at a slower pace.

“I believe as we go forward the incentives are going to be clear that we want to help them go from homelessness to home ownership. And that’s going to be the big incentive. That as they matriculate through the program, having a house that they can call their own, whether it’s a house or whether it’s an apartment we want to make sure that they are protected,” Parker II said.

The commissioners listened to the proposal but did not make an immediate decision as to move forward with or deny the grant process.