Summit County’s first home for homeless veterans is getting closer to opening.  The 30-bed shelter in Akron will operate much like Freedom House – a shelter that provides transitional housing for vets in Kent.

Freedom House raises money from the community as well as federal and county agencies.

Matt Slater is the director of veterans’ services at Family and Community Services.   Slater oversees Freedom House, Valor Home in Akron, and a similar project in Lorain.  Construction on Akron’s Valor Home is to start in early December and is being paid for in part by contributions from community groups and corporations.  

“to complete the construction its about half a million-- estimated about halfway there. We’ve also applied for funding through the Federal Home Loan bank.  If we get it, it will provide the matching funds that we need for furniture, computers, all the things we need to make it a home and a program for vets.”