NEWS

Ministry wants another transition house in Newark

Anna Bisaro
abisaro@gannett.com

NEWARK — Any phone call from a recovering addict or formerly convicted felon in Newark looking for housing is one too many. That’s why Vernon Smith wants to provide more transitional housing in city limits.

“We really need (more) safe places,” Smith said. There are options in Newark and Licking County Smith said, “but they are all full.”

Smith, founder and executive director of What is Truth Ministry is raising money for a new Truth Transformation House to provide additional recovery housing in the city of Newark.

The recovery housing will be nondiscriminatory, Smith said. That is key because some houses may not offer places for former inmates whom have committed certain crimes.

“They made a mistake and who of us hasn’t?” Smith said of his call to the mission. “All we’re interested in is where they want to go with their lives.”

The ultimate goal is for the new transformation house to be self-sustaining. Once people move in, they would be provided help in finding work and recovering. After a couple of months of working, residents would be expected to start paying rent to stay in the house.

Smith is seeking money to help fund this new project. He wants to buy or rent two houses in Newark — one for women and one for men — and have money left over to pay a new staff of workers for each house.

In the What is Truth Ministry arsenal Smith has a recovery manual that he has used to help other addicts, mentally ill, or former prison inmates in the past. The manual helps outline plans for meeting personal and professional goals.

Smith’s other mission is to help these young men and women find Christianity in their recovery.

“(God) brings them across my path and they have nothing,” Smith said. So, Smith said, he wants to provide them a home and help them find a way to provide for themselves again.

What is Truth Ministry is already at work in Newark, providing “critical thinking” group meetings every Tuesday morning from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at River Road Coffeehouse on the square. The group also hosts Bible studies and classes centered on finding Christianity, even without a formal church service.

Theresa Smith, who has no relation to Vernon, is a volunteer with What is Truth Ministry. She is a trained nurse’s aide and said she has always wanted to dedicate her life to helping people.

“I’m not afraid and I know there’s help for them,” Theresa said. She is hoping to assist with the start up of the new transition house if the ministry can get the required funds.

Smith said he would really like What is Truth Ministry to be allied with one or multiple churches in Newark. Having space for Bible studies and the ability to reach out to local congregations would help the ministry grow, he said.

“I’ve wanted our ministry to be connected with a church, because right now, it’s just me and God,” he said.

abisaro@gannett.com

740-328-8822

Twitter: @abisaro_NEW

FYI

To find out more about “What is Truth” minstiry, visit www.witministry.com.