TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The Family House shelter will continue operating after Leading Families Home acquired the location, receiving nearly $300,000 from city council. The Family House had been operating in the red for over a year and was at risk of closure, Leading Families Home executive director Jennifer Jacobs said. Without the funding, the shelter would have closed and put over 100 residents back on the streets. “It helps with the transition period because we’re waiting for the grants to be transferred over to the Leading Families Home name. We can’t allocate salaries; there are many things we can’t do until these transitions take place,” said Jacobs. Brittany Perkins, a resident at Family House, said she doesn’t know where she would be without the shelter. Perkins said she came from a domestic violence situation and stays at the shelter with her one-year-old son, Jasper. “I am extremely grateful,” Perkins said. The shelter’s family focus allows Perkins and her son to stay together. “They’re able to give you a single room for you and your family to be in. They’re giving you everything, bed sheets and all that. They’re giving you a new opportunity,” Perkins said. The merger creates the largest organization in the area dedicated to serving families in crisis. “We’ll have room for about 204 extra beds in the community to help families,” Jacobs said. Perkins said she’s set up with a place to rent and is just waiting for a unit to become available. Source: https://www.13abc.com/2025/11/15/leading-families-home-acquires-family-house-shelter/

For more than a decade, Ron Ranallo has helped shape the mission and impact of Leading Families Home. His involvement began long before the organization was known by its current name. He served on the board of FOCUS and later supported the transition when FOCUS merged with Beach House in 2016. The merger was not simply a structural change. It allowed families experiencing homelessness to access multiple forms of support under one roof. “I have been part of this organization through five executive directors and a lot of change, but the mission has never shifted,” Ron said. “We are here to end homelessness, or at least significantly reduce it, and we are doing the work every day.” A Personal Call to Serve Ron’s path to LFH began during his career at Owens Corning, where he was asked to lead the company’s United Way initiative. He spent years engaging with local nonprofits, learning about community needs, and seeing firsthand how many families in Northwest Ohio were struggling. That experience permanently changed his perspective. “Once you understand the reality of homelessness in our community, you cannot unsee it,” he said. “It became clear this was something I needed to give my time to.” He later joined the board of the Aurora Project at the request of a colleague, which eventually led to his involvement with FOCUS and then Leading Families Home. Today, he serves as treasurer and a member of the finance committee. Why LFH’s Model Works Ron believes the heart of LFH is its continuum of care. The organization doesn’t only offer shelter. It provides a path to stability, with wraparound services designed to help families rebuild and remain housed. “We do not just give someone a bed and send them back into the world,” Ron said. “We stabilize families. We subsidize rent. We make sure children can stay in the same schools. Parents receive employment coaching and support. It’s about long-term success, not a temporary solution.” Much of that work depends on experienced case managers and social workers who guide families through the process. Many have been with LFH for years, offering consistency and compassionate care. “They are the heart of this organization,” he said. “These are high-stress jobs, and the people who stay do it because they are called to this work. They believe in the mission.” Breaking the Cycle for Children If you were to ask Ron about LFH, he would return again and again to one point: the children experiencing homelessness. He would emphasize that when a family loses housing, the instability affects everything from education to emotional development. “No child chooses homelessness,” he said. “It is traumatic for adults and even more traumatic for children. When you provide stability, counseling, and a chance to stay in school, that is how you break the cycle. You give children a chance.” To Ron, that is where LFH makes its most meaningful impact. Housing is not the finish line. It is the foundation that allows families to rebuild. Stories of Transformation Some of the most powerful moments for Ron come from hearing directly from families who have gone through LFH programs. During fundraising events, former residents often share their stories of navigating crisis, finding stability, and rebuilding their lives. “These success stories are tragic, but also inspiring,” he said. “No two stories are the same, other than they ended up in a shelter. Hearing how far they have come is incredibly powerful.” One story stays with him. A former Beach House resident, who spent time in the shelter as a child, is now a business professional serving on the LFH board. “His story is full-circle,” Ron said. “He is successful, he is giving back, and it all started with the stability his family found here.” Homelessness is a Serious Community Issue That Requires Community Action Although LFH has made tremendous strides, Ron believes the scale of homelessness is far larger than most people realize. Hundreds of families in Northwest Ohio are currently unhoused, and that number is significantly underreported. “I wish more people understood the magnitude,” he said. “It is a gigantic number, and it is growing.” Ron believes the community can do better by working more collaboratively. Rather than many organizations working separately, he believes there should be more partnerships, shared resources, and streamlined services. “There needs to be more collaboration and fewer silos,” he said. “It is more efficient for donors and more effective for families.” Funding is another challenge, especially because nonprofits often receive grants through reimbursement-only models. The organization spends the money first, then waits to get it back. Ron sees unrestricted funding as essential to sustainability. “Unrestricted funding is critical,” he said. “It allows an organization to make strategic decisions and run its operations without waiting for reimbursement.” Why Volunteers Matter While financial support is important, Ron believes volunteering changes the way people see homelessness. It gives community members a firsthand understanding of who is being served and what they are overcoming. “When you volunteer, even for a short time, it becomes personal,” he said. “You see what is happening behind the curtain, and that is what hooks people. That is what hooked me.” Ron encourages anyone looking for purpose or connection to get involved. LFH offers opportunities for short-term, long-term, and group volunteering, all of which make a difference. Looking Ahead LFH is preparing for major growth as it acquires Family House and expands its capacity. This includes additional housing units, more behavioral health support, and a broader range of services designed to keep families stable long after they leave shelter. “That is the future,” he said. “Comprehensive services, continuity of care, and collaboration. We are moving in that direction, and it gives me hope.” After ten years of service, Ron remains committed, both personally and financially, to the mission. “I am proud of what we have built, and I am proud of the families who have worked so hard to rebuild their lives,” he said. “Ending homelessness is a big goal, and we cannot do it alone. But every family that finds stability is proof the mission matters. And that is what keeps me here.”