CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — Circleville City Council voted Oct. 20 to send $10,000 in opioid settlement funds to Hope House of Pickaway County, a men’s homeless shelter, to help connect guests struggling with addiction to recovery services.
Resolution No. 10.65-2026 was passed as an emergency measure, which council said was needed to avoid delays in the application and contracting process. The money comes from the city’s share of the OneOhio opioid settlement, which distributes money Ohio local governments won in lawsuits against drug manufacturers and distributors over the opioid epidemic. The city receives about $31,000 annually under the agreement, according to the resolution.
Hope House, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit at 134 E. Mound St., offers overnight shelter to men regardless of criminal history or past drug use and does not require guests to be sober to stay, according to the organization’s funding request submitted to the city. Staff direct guests who disclose a struggle with addiction toward local recovery resources, including weekly meetings led by a night monitor and connections to agencies such as PICCA, Integrated Services and Pickaway County Job and Family Services. The shelter also provides three meals a day, laundry service and basic toiletries.
According to the funding request, nine Hope House guests sought treatment this year. The shelter’s director, Alice Chester, wrote that the grant would let staff put more focus on following up with guests seeking recovery services outside of overnight shelter hours. The shelter’s roughly $110,000 annual budget is funded mostly through donations from local churches, businesses, civic groups and individuals, the request said.
The resolution requires Hope House to submit a year-end report to the mayor, city auditor, council president and the finance committee chair describing how the money was spent, how many people it served and whether the organization will seek funding again the following year. The city has separately directed opioid settlement money toward a Circleville recovery home for mothers.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the City of Circleville.
