Founded in the traditions of faith and service, Family Outreach Community United Services (FOCUS) is a community based agency called to embrace people in need, bring voice to the voiceless, and restore hope and dignity to the forgotten. FOCUS fosters the skills that enable people to gain control of their lives and their futures by providing the necessary steps to emerge from homelessness and poverty, and gain economic and social stability.
FOCUS is proud to be a certified Ohio Benefit Bank site.
FOCUS is a member organization of Northwest Ohio Community Shares, northwest Ohio's only workplace giving federation with a focus on social justice, animal rights, the arts and the environment.
Thanks to everyone who came out to support FOCUS at the annual Spring Luncheon on May 16th.
With your help, the event was a huge success again this year.
FOCUS begins the new year with a celebration! To commemorate its 30th anniversary, FOCUS kicked off a fundraising effort (The Campaign for Transformation) today intended to transform not only the organization but also the lives of the hundreds of individuals and families it serves. A Spring Luncheon on May 16, 2012, and a Birthday Bash on October 13, 2012, are among the events scheduled for the coming year.
At today’s press conference, FOCUS received proclamations from Lucas County Commissioners, sponsored by Carol Contrada; State Representative Michael Ashford and Toledo City Council President Joe Mcnamara.
This is a new beginning, a chance to transform despair into hope. This has been our mission since 1982 when churches in Toledo, responding to the unmet needs of the poor, pooled their strengths to form FOCUS. We continue to foster the skills that enable people to gain control of their lives and their futures by providing the necessary steps to emerge from homelessness and poverty, and gain economic and social stability. Current economic conditions demand an increasing level of e ffort on the part of FOCUS’ dedicated staff and board to continue to meet growing community needs.
FOCUS brings a nationally recognized approach to our local problem of homelessness. An individual or family referred to the organization receives immediate help with housing, followed by individualized assistance to maintain their housing, stabilize their income, and gain the skills necessary to manage their lives and to ensure that they never again face homelessness.
Friday the 13th proved to be an extremely lucky day here at FOCUS! A representative from the CareSource Foundation presented a check in the amount of $5,000 as FOCUS staff, Executive Director Kyle Grefe, and Board president Lindsay Potts looked on. This grant will provide basic household items to new participant families as they begin their journey from homelessness to stability.
New friends of FOCUS, Ian and Heather Toner, welcomed over 150 guests into their lovely home for a traditional 12th Night Party on Friday, January 6th where a dozen Christmas trees set the scene and guests were asked to bring a donation of cleaning products for FOCUS participant families. We collected well over 100 baskets filled with supplies and nearly $2,000.
She's Happy
because FOCUS helped her family out of a homeless shelter, and into a safe, warm home of their own.
Thank you for caring!
