Every Dollar Counts: Back-to-School Campaign

Every Dollar Counts

School supplies, uniforms, and backpacks are expensive, especially for those who are experiencing homelessness. We want to help our families who reside in our emergency family shelter, Beach House, or families who have found permanent housing but are still in our programs. (Learn more about Who We Are)

Toledo Public Schools has a strict dress code. This includes dress pants or skirts and polo shirts in neutral or basic colors, like black, navy, tan, or white. These clothing items are required for children to attend TPS. These items can be purchased for around $25 each, making it difficult for our families to afford clothing for their school-age kids, especially if the family has more than one kid.

Your donation of only $25 can help a family buy clothing like pants, shirts, and skirts.

Lots of other items are needed for back-to-school, too, like backpacks, lunch boxes, paper, pens, folders, art supplies, sports equipment, and shoes, which can quickly add up.

Your donation of only $50 can help buy a child a backpack filled with school supplies.

How You Can Help

Many of our donors wonder how they can help our families and kids in our shelters and housing programs. You can help us by donating to our Back-to-School campaign! Simply click the button below OR the red "DONATE" button at the top of our website, and make a donation through PayPal.

You can also mail a check to:

Leading Families Home

ATTN: Development Dept.

2283 Ashland Ave.

Toledo, OH 43620

About Leading Families Home

Our mission is helping families achieve independence and economic stability by providing life-changing resources, including mental wellness, education, employment services, and safe, affordable, sustainable housing.

We guide families from homelessness to housing and economic stability through trauma-informed case management, behavioral health, education, and employment services. Hope is found when you enter our doors.

Leading Families Home is a 501(c)3 charity based in Toledo, Ohio. We provide resources to support homeless families as they transition to permanent housing.

Our vision is building a community in which everyone has the resources to live sustainably.

Leading Families Home is part of the Continuum of Care in Lucas county.

Helping people regain independence and economic stability through education and employment has been the core work of our organization.

Beach House Family Shelter began in 1921 when Mrs. Helen (Beach) Jones, wife of the former mayor Samuel "Golden Rule" Jones, recognized the need to establish a shelter for unprotected women and children. Prior to that time, homeless women were offered shelter in the Lagrange Street Jail. Women from several organizations assisted Mrs. Jones in establishing Beach House Family Shelter.

The first shelter was located at 547 Erie Street. The first floor of the shelter was for "wayward" girls and the second floor was the refuge for homeless women and children. The shelter was named in honor of the mother of Mrs. Jones, Harriet Beach, who was an advocate and ally of social justice. Beach House Family Shelter was managed and governed by a Board of Directors known as the "Women's Protective Association."

Beach House Family Shelter received tax-exempt status in 1942, and received a charter from the State of Ohio as a nonprofit corporation in 1963. The name, "Women's Protective Association" was changed to "Beach House, Inc."

In 1982, the program began to include emergency family shelter and services for intact families, including fathers, and single-parent fathers with children.

With the changing needs of our community, Beach House Family Shelter has expanded its role in providing housing and economic stability through trauma-informed behavioral health, education, employment, therapy, case management, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment resources, and aftercare services to the homeless in the greater Toledo area.

In June 2023, Beach House Ashland, LFH's second emergency family shelter, was opened. This facility is able to offer shelter to up to 75 individuals.