FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

aslivka@toledodiocese.org

rsandles@toledodiocese.org

NORWALK MIRIAM HOUSE RECEIVES $5,000 GRANT

    JAN. 10, 2012—NORWALK—The Miriam House, a Norwalk shelter for homeless women and children, was recently chosen by CareSource Foundation to receive a $5,000 grant for capital improvements.  The grant is part of an on-going effort to improve the shelter’s safety and efficiency.  The funds will be used to replace sections of the sidewalk and driveway that have buckled and created significant gaps and unevenness in the walkway.
The Miriam House received additional grants in the past year that have enabled the home to improve energy efficiency and to save 10 percent on gas and electric bills.  A grant from the Ohio Department of Development in March 2011 provided $13,000 for the installation of an energy efficient water heater, an energy efficient furnace and an updated security system.  Second Harvest awarded Miriam House with a $738 grant to purchase a new stove, refrigerator and microwave.
The Miriam House is a ministry of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Toledo and provides shelter for homeless women and their children for up to two years while clients develop the skills to become self-sufficient. 
In 2010, Catholic Charities served 31,000 people in the Diocese of Toledo by providing food, shelter, prescription and emergency rent assistance as well as adoption services, jail and prison ministries and services to the elderly.  The organization’s mission is to make real the love that God has for each individual person regardless of their faith or background by serving the poor, speaking for and assisting the neglected and forgotten, respecting and promoting life from beginning to end and nurturing and supporting individuals and families.
 
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