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By Evelyn Rossman
The Haven Home, a faith-based, nonprofit women’s shelter in the heart of Cleveland, provides housing, food, and education for homeless women and their young children. However, the Trump administration’s planned budget cuts to social programs could threaten the shelter’s ability to serve those most in need.
“It sometimes keeps me up at night,” said Haven Home Executive Director Cynthia Rios, “because I feel very responsible for the people we serve and the people we employ.”
A Refuge For Women And Children
Located on E. 61st Street near Opportunity Corridor, the Haven Home houses 10-14 homeless women with children under five for up to one year. Beyond food and shelter, women receive a variety of classes tailored to their needs. These include courses on childcare, healthy relationships, and self-care.
“It’s a really intimate view into how transformative the time can be,” said Christine Hill, a former Haven Home art teacher. “Physically, I could see them transforming, gaining confidence in their parenting abilities, gaining confidence in having a voice.”
The shelter aims to break the cycle of homelessness through stability and empowerment. Most women leave the home with jobs or education plans already lined up. However, support for these women– and the services that provide this support– is threatened by sweeping budget cuts proposed by the Trump Administration.
Trump Plans to Defund Social Programs
At the end of May, Trump released an extensive budget plan set to take effect on October 1. The plan slashes funding for government social programs, such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
“Under this proposal, breastfeeding mothers would see their monthly benefits plummet from $52 to just $13, while young children’s benefits would drop from $26 to $10,” Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the National WIC Association, told NJ Spotlight News.
Additionally, Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, which Trump signed into law on July 4, pays for sweeping tax cuts by restricting eligibility and cutting funding for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
These changes will dramatically impact Ohioans if they are passed. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) estimates that at least 400,000 Ohioans could lose their Medicaid coverage. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that 450,000 Ohioans could lose SNAP benefits.
Nonprofits Face More Demand and Fewer Resources
Rios says that if government aid crumbles, the increased number of people in need will be forced to rely on nonprofits for support. Although the Haven Home isn’t federally funded, it does rely on donations from government-funded organizations. According to Rios, an organization that typically donates $10,000 per year to the Haven Home recently lost its funding.
“It’s definitely going to strain the system,” said Rios. “[People are] going to reach out to other nonprofits, to other service providers to try to get what they need, while we’re still trying to get what we need. It just rolls downhill.”
How You Can Help
As resources diminish, community support for organizations like The Haven Home is more critical than ever. You can help by volunteering your time or making a donation:
Donate: https://thehavenhome.org/donate/\
Volunteer: https://thehavenhome.org/volunteering/
