Extended Hours For Ozone House’s Drop-In Center

YPSILANTI –
The daily hours of operation for the Ozone House Drop-In Center in Ypsilanti are being extended due to a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The new Ozone House Drop-In Center hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 4 – 6 p.m. and Thursdays: 4 – 8 p.m.
Colleen O’Brien, director of Youth Opportunity for Ozone House, said of the new hours, “We are really excited to be able to extend our hours at the Ozone House Drop-In Center because it allows us to have more programming for young people.”
Government funding cuts for the Ozone House Street Outreach Program resulted in a reduction in operating hours for the Ypsilanti location in 2012. “Over the last several years Ozone House has faced increased competition for funding from larger metropolitan areas,” said Ozone House Executive Director, Katie Doyle. “The grant from the Department of Health and Human Services is vital to our ability to continue to meet the growing needs of youth in our community.”
The Drop-In Center is visited about 5,000 times per year by area youth. Young people visit Ypsi Ozone every weekday to hang out in a safe place, eat a hot meal furnished by Food Gatherers, do their laundry, take a shower, use computers and phones, get help with schoolwork, and access Ozone House housing and support services.
Ozone House is the only agency in Washtenaw County that provides free, confidential, and voluntary shelter and support services to runaway, homeless and high-risk youth ages 10-20 and their families. To learn more about Ozone House programs and services, visit http://www.ozonehouse.org.