Helen Jones (center) pictured here in 2004 on the Mental Health Services website with the launch of a collaboration to provide alcohol and drug services to the women at the Community Women's Shelter.
I was not at the meeting this morning, but I have heard from two sources that Helen Jones passed away after having a heart attack after a United Way meeting. Recovery Resources was a partner in the struggle to end homelessness in Cleveland, and the agency has a history of employing some of the most caring and kind staff in the community. Helen Jones was always a strong advocate for her program and the struggle to find resources to serve poor people. She had a wonderful understanding of behavioral health issues in our community. She was one of those rare people in the community who if they had access to more resources, she could have solved many problems for our community. Instead she was forced to struggle to push papers and fill out forms in order to keep her agency moving forward. Under her leadership Recovery Resources grew and became the premier provider for alcohol services in Greater Cleveland.
It is my understanding that there was a United Way Director's quarterly meeting, and after the meeting Ms. Jones was taken to the hospital. Recovery Resources was slated to receive a 28% cut or around $57,500 in the next few years. There was some talk of the issue at the meeting. Evidently, she had a heart attack and was not able to be revived.
We will miss Helen Jones, and we will send our condolences to one of our partner agencies. This is a loss to the homeless community, and to Cleveland in general.
Brian Davis
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
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