YOUNGSTOWN - The Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley is known for providing a place to sleep and a warm meal but now administrators are putting their efforts into making sure their clients don't have to rely on them anymore. A new program called “Homeless to Homeownership” helps people manage their money to eventually save up enough to buy a place they can call their own. 

John Muckridge, the CEO and President of the mission runs the program himself. He can often be found sitting behind his computer with a client across from him as they crunch numbers in an effort to conquer what landed them here in the first place.

“Here are the debts that you have, here's your monthly income, here's your monthly expenses. Let's come up with a plan,” Muckridge said about he discusses with the clients. 

Muckridge said for some of the people at the mission, they’re working full time and earning a steady paycheck but not managing that money properly to be able to free up enough for rent.

In the program, those clients come up with a budget and prioritize paying debts and only buying necessities. 

“We’re teaching self control, we're teaching discipline,” Muckridge said. 

The program has about five people in it right now, some already seeing success paying off hundreds of dollars in debt or are gearing up to buy their own home in the next few months.

“Once you see, wait a minute there is light at the end of the tunnel everybody that I've met with they leave completely refreshed like ‘okay I can do this,’” Muckridge said.

Helping people down the path to a place they can call their own not just by nurturing but by navigating the drawbacks that life throws at you.

“We feel led not just to provide a meal and a warm place to stay but we want to help people who want to help themselves and grow out of this situation because the lord calls us to do it,” Muckridge said.

The mission has more plans in the future to help clients transition beyond their shelter. Muckridge said they’re working with builders to design seven homes with three bedrooms each that will be completely furnished next to the shelter on the property in Youngstown. The homes will be free of cost to people that the mission selects to live in them while they work to pay off debt and manage money.

Muckridge said they expect to break ground on the million dollar project in the fall of 2025. Anyone willing to donate to the construction of the seven homes can call the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley at 330-744-5486.