TOLEDO, Ohio — Residents of the Greenbelt Place apartments and other nearby apartments got some much-needed help on Saturday from a handful of local organizations and non-profits.
It was all part of a community resource fair held on the corner of Michigan and Walnut Streets, near the apartments .
"We need to go out of our way for individuals to make sure if they can't get to the services, we bring it to them. And that's really what this is," said Lisa McDuffie, President and CEO of the YWCA of NW Ohio.
Resources that typically help these families, were brought steps away from their front door.
Saturday's event was all thanks to one Toledo woman and her grassroots organization.
"People care, and that's what's important to us," said Tina Butts, founder of The Movement. "We're an organization out here in our community and we just want to make sure that we're all about our community and help take care of one another. They take care of us, we gonna take care of them."
There was a common goal with the resource fair: to be proactive instead of reactive.
"This is ground-level prevention work. People should not lose their children because they're poor or because they have no control over their housing conditions," said Robin Reese, Executive Director of Lucas County Children Services.
The Greenbelt Place apartment complex was declared a public nuisance at the beginning of October when it failed an inspection from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
On Friday, management at Greenbelt Place Apartments said they have plans for repairs to be made at the complex within 30 days
Still, organizers were quick to point out, a person's living condition doesn't paint a full picture of who they are.
"They're asking us to help them. They want to change. They want to get their ID, they want to go to school, and want jobs" said Butts. "They just don't know how to go at it."
Organizers say if you need help, don't be afraid to reach out. A list of local organizations ready to help is provided below.
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