ASHLAND – Volunteers from Rogue Credit Union and guests of The OHRA Shelter gave up part of their Saturday this weekend to build a pet enclosure for dogs belonging to those staying at The OHRA Shelter. Street Dogs, a nonprofit devoted to promoting quality of life for the pets of the unhoused, was on site doing education, outreach, offering pet supplies, dog food, and to take sign-ups for spaying/neutering and vaccinations.
“For people experiencing homelessness, pets are best friends, even family. Dogs offer unconditional and nonjudgmental love and are a great comfort to people in crisis,” said Cass Sinclair, executive director of OHRA. “Part of providing ‘low-barrier’ shelter means lowering barriers to entry. Allowing folks to bring their pets is just one way that we lower those barriers.” The enclosed space OHRA and volunteers installed Saturday is recognition of the importance of pets to vulnerable populations. OHRA looks for ways to keep owners and pets together.
The OHRA Center was opened in April of 2021. OHRA purchased the former Super 8 motel with funding from Project Turnkey administered through the Oregon Community Foundation from The State of Oregon. OHRA Center includes a shelter where guests can stay for up to six months, and also Jackson County’s only walk-in resource center. The OHRA Resource Center is a resource for all members of the community, where anyone in crisis – including those not staying in the shelter – are welcome to come for help. That helps can include utility assistance, help signing up for benefits, section 8 housing choice vouchers, help obtaining Oregon ID’s, connection to mental health services, and more. Since opening, over 200 guests have stayed at The OHRA Shelter and over 50 of those have become permanently housed.
The OHRA Center is still under construction, and OHRA is in the midst of a fundraising campaign “Empower a Life, Transform a Community” to raise necessary renovation dollars and sustainability funds. Renovations include fire suppression systems, and elevator, ADA accessible bathrooms and rooms, and environmentally friendly upgrades.
OHRA: https://helpingashland.org/
Street Dogs: https://streetdogproject.com/?fbclid=IwAR0Y3T-lElwMoa0OnNNwwktcOpMPPecb9EFn_YzeZARFyEf21oxTMZh_Mb4
Rogue Credit Union: https://www.roguecu.org/community/community-involvement
press release from OHRA
photos courtesy OHRA
