Heartland Church raises $129,000 for recovery housing efforts

MEDINA — When Heartland Community Church gets behind a project, it really gets behind the project. During a candlelight service Christmas Eve at the Medina County Fairgrounds, the church came together in a big way to help support recovery housing in Medina County. The church's end-of-the-year offering raised $129,047 for the project, with one anonymous family donating $50,000. Cathy's House, a sober living home founded in 1998 in Medina, and Hope Recovery Community, a recovery community organization, have combined with several other community groups to see where the project takes them. Jon Robinson, executive director of Cathy's House, 515 W. Liberty St., Medina, offers 11 beds for men and seven for women. There is a waiting list of those in recovery from drugs and alcohol that are turned away with hope there are beds available in neighboring counties. He said affordable housing is the goal of the initiative. "Expanding recovery housing in Medina County is something ultimately we'd like to do," Robinson said. "We're increasing support for the general community. We'd like to provide options for people to succeed in. "We're not tied to anything. These are the very first baby steps. We're just getting started. It could be apartments or another house. We'd like to keep it in Medina County." Heartland got several community groups together about two months ago. Others involved in the project are Catholic Charities (Diocese of Cleveland), Medina Metropolitan Housing Authority, Medina County Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Board and Medina County Habitat for Humanity. "We're just starting with the funds," Robinson said. "We have no specific location yet. We want to do it right. It's come together pretty quickly, largely because of Heartland." Nicole Weidokal, executive director of operations at Heartland Church, said she was blown away by the donations. "We're always amazed at what God does," she said. "We are humbled to be a part of the work he is doing." Weidokal said the initiative started when the Rev. Dave Ambrose, pastor at Heartland, challenged the church to fulfill some of the unmet needs in the community. The first meetings were held in the garage at Hope Community, 200 Highland Drive, Medina, where Stefanie Robinson is the executive director. "It was incredible to be a part of," Weidokal said. "Skip (Sipos), of Medina Metropolitan Housing, said he's never seen anything like it. This wasn't just a Heartland thing. It's the community." She lauded the work of husband-and-wife team Jon and Stefanie Robinson. "They are doing incredible things in the recovery community," Weidokal said. Jon Robinson said Heartland came through with a large donation to Hope Recovery Community when it opened in October 2019. Now, Cathy's House will be the beneficiary of another large gift. "I was so blown away, humbled and grateful," he said. Robinson said there is a definite need for additional certified recovery housing. He called the groups of community leaders "people of action." "That's what they are," Robinson said. "I'm excited about it." Contact reporter Bob Finnan at (330) 721-4049 or rfinnan@medina-gazette.com.