FIRST Collective is a nonprofit organization in central Ohio. We are a group of organizers, activists, and local residents interested in making art, creating social infrastructure, and fostering community through mutual aid.
FIRST Collective is working on several projects to provide for our most vulnerable community members. Our volunteers are currently working with residents of the transitional housing program to help meet needs, we are canvassing the far east community and providing unsheltered residents with needed supplies, and we are operating an emergency housing fund to provide supplies and shelter throughout the winter.
On the near-east side of Columbus, FIRST Collective had an encampment set up for un-housed folks that is entirely volunteer run. This camp housed 20-25 residents, provides shelter, food, medical supplies and care, transportation, harm reduction supplies, funds for individuals’ immediate needs, and a community of support, acceptance, and growth. The E Mound Street camp, was also known as Camp Shameless. Camp shameless was evicted on September 12th of 2022. Many of the camp residents were moved to a motel on the east side as part of a transitional housing pilot program.
Camp Shameless was an extremely unique place in Columbus Ohio where the homeless were not forced to live out of site. A community was built there, a community lived there for 6 months and we miss it dearly. While we are excited that many residents have an opportunity to be a part of this pilot program, there are still many community members that were not offered nothing and lost the place they called home.
Columbus is in the midst of a housing crisis. We are determined to combat this issue by providing safe spaces and services for our neighbors experiencing houslessness. In the summer of 2022, we submitted a grant proposal to the city of Columbus, while this grant was not awarded, we are proud of the community, relationships, and resources created during the life of Camp Shameless. Read our grant proposal.
The Columbus Dispatch featured several stories on our work with the E Mound Street Camp.
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