Wine tasting fundraiser to benefit homeless agency

On the mornings when the Homeless Resource Network is open to clients, some of Columbus’ most impoverished residents line up for services.

Some months the agency sees as many as 300 people seeking help with mail, storage, transportation and other needs, said Elizabeth Dillard, the agency’s executive director.

“We’re still seeing people who are new to homelessness,” she said. “The best indicator for homelessness is poverty and, unfortunately, poverty in our community is increasing instead of decreasing.”

On Friday, the Homeless Resource Network will hold the third annual Wine Tasting Mingle fundraiser in an effort to support its mission to help people reach self-sufficiency. The event will be held 6-8 p.m. at The Loft, 1032 Broadway. It will include a silent auction, food and live jazz performed by professors at Columbus State University. Tickets for the fundraiser cost $40.

Last year, about 200 people attended the event and $6,749 was raised, according to information on the agency’s website.

The Homeless Resource Network, located at 2221 Second Ave., is open to clients Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The hours are 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2-4 p.m.

In addition to providing the homeless with space for collecting mail and storing their belongings, the agency also publishes “Street Beat,” a pocket-size guide to emergency services, and refers clients to other agencies for additional services.

The agency also holds monthly meetings for social service providers to learn about homeless resources available in in the community and to seek solutions to the problem. But its main focus is to help people reach self-sufficiency, Dillard said.

For tickets to the Wine Tasting Mingle, go to HomelessResourceNetwork.org or call 706-571-3399.

This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Wine tasting fundraiser to benefit homeless agency."