In response to what some are calling a housing crisis in Zanesville, advocates from various community groups and churches are forming a coalition to bring awareness to the area’s housing shortage and homeless issue while attempting to find solutions. 

SOS Zanesville is what the newly formed group is called, and its members are inviting those who share their concerns to a peaceful procession and potluck Downtown Friday evening. 

“We are trying to draw attention to our problem because we don’t think that any changes will get made if there isn’t some effort to say here’s the problem,” said member Marcia Hartman, who also represents the Zanesville Think Tank on Poverty. 

Hartman explained that more than 200 people in Zanesville are estimated to be homeless.

“There’s a lot of people that just don’t have a place,” said Hartman. “Efforts on the part of churches and other organizations in town to provide shelters hasn’t worked out.”

Hartman said the issue is nationwide, not just confined to Zanesville.

With sufficient shelter lacking this winter for those living outside to find warmth, SOS Zanesville is concerned for their well-being in the extreme cold.

“We’re worried that people will freeze or get frostbite, lose body parts, whatever,” said Hartman.

On Friday, SOS Zanesville is inviting the community to join them in a potluck dinner at the St. Thomas Aquinas Church Rosary Hall hall at 5 p.m. before a candlelit walk in solidarity with the homeless commences. 

The procession will lead walkers past both the Muskingum County Courthouse and Zanesville City Hall. 

“We’re positive. We’re focused on solutions, not blaming anybody for anything. It’s like what I say, It’s a nationwide problem that a lot of communities are struggling with,” said Hartman. “We just wanted to start some sort of conversation about what we could do.”

Hartman said that Friday’s participants will be asked to write down their wishes and prayers for Zanesville so that those concerns can be presented to City Council Monday evening.