In
the beginning…
Some
thirty years ago, buddy gray and a group of devoted
activists saw an emerging need for social services and
housing solutions here in Cincinnati. They began by
picking up homeless people off of the street and brining
them into their very own apartments in Over-the-Rhine.
They took care of them as if they were family, coaxing
them out of alcoholism, feeding them, and clothing them.
Out
of these efforts launched a small storefront shelter
on Main Street. However, buddy and the rest of the volunteers
soon recognized that more than just shelter was needed.
They realized that there was also a need to change services
for the disabled, people with chemical dependency, and
people with mental illnesses. They also saw an increasing
need for access to housing, employment, and training
for the homeless.
From these humble beginnings grew the Drop Inn Center,
the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, The
Peaslee Neighborhood Center, and Over the Rhine Community Housing (formerly ReStoc).
Jimmy Heath, Former Streetvibes Editor
Jimmy Heath was a
photographer and community activist living and working
in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of downtown Cincinnati,
Ohio. Jimmy came to Over-the-Rhine nine years ago as a
homeless person, eventually finding his way to the Drop
Inn Center homeless shelter. He had hit rock bottom in
his life and career, and had turned to alcohol and drugs
for solace. At the Drop Inn Center, Jimmy Heath found
hope and recovery and a new direction for his life and
inspiration for his photography as a community activist
and documentarian. He was a successful editor of GCCH’s
Streetvibes and was active with the Coalition for many years.
Jimmy passed away in December 2007.
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