Zanesville’s homeless will now have a warm place to sleep this winter after an arrangement was made between a ministry struggling to make accommodations at its own facility and a church located out of town with the capacity for overnight guests.

Starting Thursday, Dec. 19, Trulight Ministries will begin busing anyone in need of shelter to Cornerstone Full Gospel Church in Duncan Falls each night of the week. 

Originally, Trulight had plans to open a warming shelter in its own facility on Putnam Avenue, but they faced some setbacks regarding building and fire code. 

“We are not going to be able to meet the City’s requirements before winter is over,” said Pastor Ed Swartz of Trulight Ministries. 

Those requirements include meeting fire code by having a proper sprinkler system installed, as well as building code by repairing flooring in a condemned part of the building. 

Only when those requirements were met could Trulight go before the Zanesville Board of Zoning Appeals.

“So we just started thinking of what other options do we have,” said Swartz. 

Having formerly attended Cornerstone Full Gospel Church, the same church where Swartz and his wife, Christina, attended ministry school, Swartz reached out to Pastor Steve Harrop looking for help with his situation. 

On Wednesday, plans were finalized to open a shelter in the Church’s dormitory typically used for retreats, camps and conferences. 

“We’re just glad that we can be able to assist those that are in need with our facilities that we’ve been blessed with,” said Jamie Harrop, Youth Pastor at Cornerstone. “We’re just glad to be a part of the bigger picture of folks trying to do good by other people. That’s what Ed’s doing, so we’re following suit. So we’re just trying to help out any way we can.”

In the intervening period, Trulight Ministries had been hosting overnight prayer vigils throughout December to offer relief from the cold to those needing it. 

Those prayer vigils will continue each night from 7 p.m. until about 11:30 p.m. when Swartz said he will load up his 15-passenger van and take anyone needing a place to sleep to Duncan Falls

“We just want to make sure that if there’s any homeless with jobs and they don’t get off until late at night, that we can still meet their needs as far as trying to help get them a place to sleep,” said Swartz regarding the late departure. 

The bunkhouse at Cornerstone sleeps between 100 to 110 people, so Swartz said he will make as many trips as needed. 

Guests will be asked to lock their possessions in totes that will be left at Trulight Ministries overnight. Items can be picked back up the following morning upon return to Trulight for breakfast around 7 a.m.

Swartz said the community can help by donating items such as towels, sleeping bags and hygiene products including shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap.

Additionally, volunteers are needed to supervise the facility overnight. 

“We’re not going to run it like a jail or a prison, we just need to have people that stay awake and just kind of monitor to make sure that, you know, nothing happens,” said Swartz.

Overnight guests will register their names during check-in at Trulight Ministries located at 807 Putnam Ave.

“When there’s a need in the community, it takes everybody stepping up and filling that need,” said Harrop. “We’re just blessed to have what we have at Cornerstone, and we’re just able to offer those blessings that we have to other people.”