Partnerships Prepare a Home             

The Franklin Apartments Renovated Through Gifts

Homelessness among the mentally ill is a significant problem in all areas of the country. Many communities do not have sufficient behavioral health care and housing facilities to care for the number of people in need of those services. The presence of the Franklin Apartments in Portage County has greatly benefited those with mental illness, as well as the local community, since 1982.

Coleman Foundation has embarked on a capital campaign entitled “Touching Lives Changing Destinies,” in which rebuilding Franklin Apartments is one of the first priorities. The building of a new 11-bed apartment unit to serve as home to people suffering with chronic mental illness will be the product of a collaboration between a number of organizations and individuals.

Partnerships among non-profits, for-profits and government organizations are an increasingly popular way to conduct business among organizations with common missions. The cost-efficiencies and elimination of duplication of work helps communities to flourish in necessary areas, without waste.

Coleman Professional Services, the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Coleman Foundation have partnered to ensure the successful reconstruction of the apartments to help prevent homelessness within Portage County residents with chronic mental illness.

The Ohio Department of Mental Health issued a challenge grant to Coleman Foundation of $437,000 for the project. The Foundation, in turn, will raise $463,000 to match the grant and reach the total project goal of $900,000.

In early 2009, Coleman received a $200,000 gift from the Capling Trust to assist with the Franklin Apartments project. The family of Walter Capling, a long-time friend and customer of Coleman who dealt with chronic mental illness for 40 years and passed away from lung cancer, made the generous donation. He was brought to Coleman’s Crisis Residential Unit in Ravenna in the late 1980’s after being rescued from the streets of San Francisco by his mother. Walter lived in Coleman’s residential apartments and a group home from 1990 until his passing in 2008.

Other individuals and companies have donated $32,500 to date for the Franklin Apartments project, leaving $264,000 remaining to complete the project. The ceremonial groundbreaking for the apartments will take place in late April and construction is expected to be complete in the fall of 2009.

To learn more about helping Coleman and its partners in the goal of providing a home for those with chronic mental illness, please visit www.coleman-foundation.com