A large, light green, multi-story house with a front porch, stairs, and a gabled roof, surrounded by grass and trees.

Welcome to MY House

A large, multi-story house with gray siding, a dark gray roof, and a front porch with white pillars and stairs, surrounded by green grass and trees.

My House is a program that provides transitional housing for those 17-24 years old who have "aged out” of the foster care system. The housing is in our large manor home in South Lorain, Ohio.

About

My House

  • We are here to bridge the gap between foster care and adulthood by providing an independent living program to youth ages 17-24. We offer mentoring in everyday life skills, job readiness, academic support, and financial guidance as they transition to a life of independence. We work in close collaboration with local agencies to help our residents reach their full potential within their community.

  • Thanks to a collaboration between We Care We Share Ministries and the Lorain Port Authority, an old Victorian home on the corner of E 31st and Seneca Ave., was saved from being demolished. In 2014, a deal was struck and it was gifted to the Ministry with plans to renovate it into a community center, offering workshops, mentoring and fellowship to aid its visitors in becoming more self-sufficient.

    Thanks to an amazing effort by a team of volunteers and donors, the old home was brought back to life and went on to serve its community with a variety of services until the Covid pandemic.

    Jim Darcy, a past We Care We Share Executive Director, became aware that many Lorain County youth were aging out of the foster care system and had nowhere to go – and yet the Ministry had this large empty home, with numerous bedrooms and more love to give. It wasn’t long before Jim and Bill, along with a team of volunteers and donors, began restoring 1888 E. 31st to become the welcoming landing place it is today.

    Today, My House is filling a deeply underserved niche in the Lorain community by providing a cozy home that offers not only transitional housing for up to 5 residents but also a team ready to mentor and support them as they transition into a life of purpose and independence.

    Unfortunately, Jim Darcy passed away in February 2022, several months after the first resident moved in, but he was thrilled to see his vision come to life. We like to think we have a special guardian angel watching over our “kiddos” at My House.

  • Joshua Pryor serves as the My House Director

    Elaina Hamel serves as the My House Supervisor

  • The youth (age 17-24) of greater Lorain aging out of foster care and are seeking a safe home to prepare for adult life.

Making MY HOUSE a Home

A large, three-story Victorian-style house painted light gray with white trim, featuring multiple windows, a front porch with white columns, and a set of stairs leading up to the porch. There is a sign in front of the house that reads 'We Care We Share 1888'.

Located at 1888 E 31st St, Lorain Ohio.

My House offers private living quarters on the 2nd and 3rd floors, each with a communal bathroom. There is a communal kitchen, laundry, and relaxed living areas on the first floor.

Rooms are leased on a month-to-month basis. All residents must be between the ages of 17–24.

All tenants are expected to volunteer either at our weekly food pantry, clothing closet, or in the greenhouse.

Contact Us to Learn More
Living room with three sofas, a coffee table, side tables with lamps, decorative pillows, large windows, and an air conditioning unit.
A cozy bedroom with a single bed dressed in blue and white checkered and striped bedding, a black leather ottoman at the foot of the bed, a clear acrylic nightstand with a brass and black table lamp, a dark gray armchair with a matching patterned thr
A cozy bedroom with a bed, pillows, a nightstand and lamp, a cream armchair, and framed artwork on the walls, with curtains and a door leading to another room.
A cozy bedroom with a single bed, window with light curtains, nightstand with a lamp and clock, and a desk with a lamp, books, and a framed picture, under a sloped ceiling.

My House Resident Services

Our mission is to help each resident that walks in our doors leave with new, valuable tools they can put into action to help them succeed in adult life. WCWS provides a number of services weekly to its residents such as those listed below.

Group + Individual Counseling

Assistance obtaining personal documents

Assistance with SNAP benefits

Budgeting Skills

Mock Job Interviews

Tutoring/Academic Assistance

Cooking Lessons

Community Outreach

We are always looking for new guest speakers to come to volunteer their time and give insight on their specific career to broaden the resident’s perspective and gain exposure to new things. If you think your experience may be beneficial to share

We also welcome Guest Speakers each month

Contact Us
Five women and one man standing together indoors, with the man holding a framed plaque of appreciation, smiling for the camera.

MY HOUSE would not be possible without the tireless support of our volunteers who created this warm, welcoming space for our residents to begin this next phase of their adult life.

Thank you Molly Regan, Kathleen Fox, Jim Darcy, Kelly Martens, and Sheila Mahon. (Not Pictured: Kerri Hartman, Paul Eldridge and the team from First Energy.)

IMG_1842.jpg

A SPECIAL THANKS
to all who donated to My House at The Summer Market.

We Care We Share was honored to be chosen as the recipient of funds collected at the Fundraising Lot and throughout the event this past July.

Thank you Erin Stack, co-founder of Girls Give Back, for your generosity and commitment to our mission!

Photo Courtesy of @TheSummerMarket

Donate

Donate

Support My House and help us expand this important initiative!

You can donate online through the link below or send a check to We Care We Share Ministries, 1888 E 31st St, Lorain OH 44055

Donate Online