By the numbers
In 2012, there were 476 men, women and children that stayed at one of the two Hope House Mission’s shelters.
There were 216 men, 156 women and 104 children.
At SHALOM, the seasonal homeless shelter that just closed until later this year, served 85 people in the most recent 16-week season.
The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio reported on Jan. 25, 2011, more than 13,000 Ohioans were homeless. That was a 4.8 percent increase from the previous year, according to the report.
Former homeless man Ted Williams’ message to the crowd at the Celebration of Service Expo Friday at Miami University Middletown was one of hope, love, God and change.
He lost a family and promising radio career because of drug and alcohol additions, had been arrested for several crimes including robbery, theft, and drug abuse and possession, and after he was discovered by a Columbus-area photojournalist in January 2011, was caught in several lies when his story was told on several national shows — most famously on “Dr. Phil.”
The Brooklyn, New York-native, known as “the Man with the Golden Voice,” is now on the path of telling his story of redemption through hope, love, God and change.
And these aspects are what helped transform Williams, 55, from a crazy-haired homeless man wearing a camouflage jacket, begging for money in the streets of Columbus to buy crack cocaine or some other drug, to a man who stood before about 100 people at the Miriam G. Knoll Community Center.
“Whether you believe that your prayer is going to be answered or not is not for you to question,” said Williams, in an exclusive interview with The Middletown Journal before his address. “It’s for you to continuously to pray from the heart and be very foregoing in your pursuit in what you want to accomplish.”
Homelessness is growing in Middletown, as well as Ohio.
The economy and job market are both fighting to recover from the devastating near economic collapse in late 2008.
In Middletown, more than 550 people stayed at least one night at the Hope House Mission Center for Women and Children, Hope House Mission Center for Men and SHALOM (a shelter that operates just four months a year).
The Hope House Mission reports that 476 men, women and children stayed at one of the two shelters last year — 104 of whom were children. Through March of this year, 131 men, women and children have stayed at the Hope House Mission’s shelters.
At SHALOM, or Serving Homeless with Alternative Lodging of Middletown, 85 people were served during the center’s most recent 16 weeks season. Some of those people, SHALOM coordinators fear, will return to temporary housing under bridges, in vacant buildings or in vehicles.
Homeless is also growing in the state. The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio reported on Jan. 25, 2011, when it conducted a count of homeless in the state, reported more than 13,000 Ohioans were homeless. That was a 4.8 percent increase from the previous year, according to the report.
The Ohio Department of Education report nearly 22,000 students were homeless in 2011, about a 45 percent increase since there were 12,000 reported homeless students in 2006. The Middletown City School District reports that six of its students live in a shelter, three live in hotels and 67 students live with another family.
Williams, who is becoming an advocate to help end homelessness, hopes his foundation, the newly formed Ted Williams Project, will help address the needs for the homeless shelters around state of Ohio.
“I want to accommodate some of the wish list items that are on some of those shelters’ needs list,” he said. “Some of them are washers and dryers, bed framing, mattresses, socks.”
Williams, who says he’s been sober two years this May 4, acquired his fame in January 2011 when a Columbus newspaper photographer video taped him talking in a radio announcer’s voice. The video went viral on the Internet and days later he was introduced to America on the “Today Show.”
His most famous television appearance came on “Dr. Phil,” appearing a few times, including being caught in lies and coming back to confess. He said he’s likely going to re-appear on “Dr. Phil.”
Williams faded from the national spotlight about a year ago, when his book, “A Golden Voice: How Faith, Hard Work, and Humility Brought Me from the Streets to Salvation,” which was written with author Brett Witter, was released. In the last year, he’s been promoting his life story, working as a voice-over artist for Kraft, and since January started public speaking. He’s spoken about 20 times since this new chapter of his life.
“I can’t tell this story without God,” he said to the crowed at MUM. “I know a lot of people have said that they thought it was a stroke of luck, I was at the right place at the right time. That was God. God made me a reminder that he’s still alive, and he’s still in the business of miracles.”
The message of change hit home for some of the men who live at the Hope House Mission Center for Men.
“I found from past experiences that you can’t make it without God in your life,” said Jeremy Harville, who ended up at the Hope House after hitting rock bottom using heroin. “The biggest thing is to stay away from sin, old people, places and things, triggers. Stay in the church and keep my head straight.”
Vincent Singleton, who’s been at the Hope House for about six months, said Williams has inspired him to stay strong.
“(He) let you know that it’s never too late to keep God in your life,” he said. “I’m knocked down, but I’m not going to give up.”
Tim Smith came to the Hope House when alcohol destroyed his life following the destruction of his restaurant, The Bistro in Franklin. His business was set fire by an arsonist in October 2011, and his life took a sharp downward turn.
What he took away from Williams’ speech: “Sometimes you have to be broken to be blessed.”
“I had thought along when I lost my restaurant that I had hit the very bottom, but I had to keep going and going with my addition to alcohol and it ended up breaking me even more,” Smith said. “I was blessed to be introduced to the Hope House where they introduced God back into my life. I feel like I’m taking it one day at a time and I’m just very lucky and fortunate.”
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