Haven of Rest

Pros

• The facility is very clean.
• It is a wonderful place to stay, work, and save money, with opportunities to worship and receive meals.
• It has good vibes.
• The Haven of Rest provides beds, free clothing, and great food for the less fortunate.
• The experience makes residents feel less homeless, like a camp with Bible studies and responsibilities.
• Donations can be dropped off easily and efficiently.
• The staff do a great job helping the homeless, with free meals and good food.
• It is a Christian ministry for the homeless, admired by donors for how it uses donations.
• Volunteers are amazing with love, support, and nonjudgmental encouragement.
• The organization is one of the best and well-organized shelters, described as a blessing by volunteers.
• The place saved a life and helped build a life in faith.
• The staff are caring and will help residents.

Cons

• The reviewer described the organization as inefficient and unprofessional, citing a rude phone interaction and being told to call back the next day.
• Another reviewer said staff do not care about residents or their children and will eject people for minor infractions.
• A critic described the experience as not fun and like a jail.
• A donor complained that donations are not greeted; staff no longer greet donors and instruct them to drop items on a belt line.
• A reviewer accused a staff member named Ed of rude and disrespectful conduct toward residents.
• A commenter alleged discrimination because attendees must attend church to receive services.

Review

Across the experiences shared about Haven of Rest, people describe a wide spectrum of impressions from heartfelt gratitude to sharp frustration. A donor's voice opened the chorus, sounding a wake-up call about fund-raising practices and donor communication. The person recounted receiving duplicate donation mailings at home, with postage and printing costs mounting up unnecessarily. A phone encounter left them feeling dismissed and discouraged, as they were told to call back the next day and speak with someone else rather than leave a message. The reviewer, who runs a nonprofit themselves, wondered aloud about stewardship and the efficient use of resources, and ultimately signaled a shift of their support to another organization they trusted. The sentiment captured a frustration that would echo in other reviews: good intentions can be undermined by what feels like sloppy operations.

Beyond the fundraising critique, reviewers paint a broader picture of Haven of Rest as a homeless shelter with a real sense of place and mission, but with inconsistent experiences of those who interact with it. One observer remarked that the shelter sits miles above 2100 (a location marker that becomes part of the story), while another described the surrounding reality - homeless people sleeping in the streets near the donations center and alley - as profoundly sad. Yet other comments celebrate the facility's tangible resources: a clean environment, beds, free clothing, and nutritious meals. Some visitors described it as a place where people can rest, worship, and begin to get back on their feet, emphasizing the social and spiritual dimensions of the work done there.

Within this mix, there are many personal stories of staff and volunteers making a difference. Several accounts praise caregivers and volunteers by name or with general terms like "the staff," noting kindness, care, and helpfulness. One guest singled out individuals named Luis and Latti as particularly delightful to meet, and another described the team as "amazing" for their support. A family-oriented reviewer who stayed there found the experience less about feeling homeless and more about structure and responsibility, framing the environment as something of a camp with Bible studies and parental guidance. Others expressed gratitude for the sense of being welcomed and supported, describing the Haven as a place that felt like home and a space where people could reconnect with faith, receive meals, clothing, and practical assistance.

But alongside the praise there are persistent criticisms about how the operation is run and how some staff interact with residents and donors. Some reviewers recount encounters with rude or unhelpful behavior, including a specific complaint about a staff member who was described as disrespectful to residents and who seemed more focused on asserting control than offering encouragement. A number of comments mention a church-going expectation or policy that some found discriminatory, with one reviewer explicitly saying that attendance at church felt like a condition for service and another describing it as discrimination. There are also mentions of more practical missteps: a staff member who allegedly opened mail and misdirected a bus pass, or a project for a practicum that stalled due to communication problems. These anecdotes contribute to a perception that, while the program has resources and good intentions, it can feel opaque, inconsistent, or unfriendly to some clients and partners.

Other reviews focus on the experience of giving and receiving donations. Several donors appreciate the willingness of volunteers to help them unload clothing and other items, and they celebrate the relief of seeing clothes and goods make their way to those in need. At the same time, some donors feel unrecognized or undervalued by a process that seems less neighborly than in years past - no greetings at the car, a push to drop items on a belt, and a sense that front-line staff could be more welcoming to those who bring in donations. A resident explicitly named an individual staff member (Ed) and described him as rude and disrespectful, signaling how the behavior of a single person can color a whole experience for residents and visitors alike.

Several stories touch on the shelter's impact on families, including both hope and disappointment. One reviewer recalled a Christmas assistance promise for five children that never materialized, a disappointment amplified by repeated follow-up attempts during the holiday season. In contrast, other families described receiving steady support, including a sense of community and a faith-based environment that helped them feel "not just cared for, but part of a larger family." The facility is repeatedly described as a place where people can access meals, clothing, and care, even as some note strict timing for meals, chapel, and bed checks that can feel rigid or demanding to those seeking flexible shelter arrangements.

Finally, many reviewers acknowledge the shelter's core mission and the role it plays in the broader community. Several speak of the organization as a Christian ministry focused on service to the homeless, praising it for doing "God's work" and expressing confidence in the ongoing importance of the ministry. Others emphasize the positive impact on individuals who have found stability and a renewed sense of purpose through the shelter's programs, including stories of people who credit Haven of Rest with saving their lives or helping them set a new course aligned with faith. A recurring note, however, is that the Haven is not claimed to be perfect. It is repeatedly described as a place with real benefits and serious challenges - a well-intentioned, resource-rich operation that, like many service organizations, is still working through questions of process, policy, and how best to balance outreach with the dignity and autonomy of those it serves.

In sum, Haven of Rest emerges as a community hub that many find lifesaving and supportive, while others experience friction - whether from organizational inefficiencies, strict policies, or interpersonal dynamics. The shelter is recognized for providing beds, meals, clothing, and spiritual nourishment, and for mobilizing volunteers and donors who care deeply about helping the homeless. At the same time, several voices call for clearer communication, more respectful and consistent staff conduct, and more reliable systems for donor interaction and resident services. Taken together, the collection of reflections sketches a complex portrait: a place of genuine care and faith-based mission that is also a work in progress, continually shaping how best to serve those who come through its doors.

Pharmacies

• Cleveland Clinic - Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center (1.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• Marc's Stores (2.3 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.4 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (2.8 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (1.5 miles)
• Burger King (2.1 miles)
• Lady Luck Pub & Eatery (2.4 miles)
• bd's Mongolian Grill (2.4 miles)
• Boss Dog Brewing Co. (2.9 miles)
• New Heights Grill (3 miles)
• Scotti's Italian Eatery (3 miles)

Places of Worship

• South Euclid United Church of Christ (2.1 miles)
• Messiah Luth Church of Lyndhurst (4.3 miles)
• St Clare's Church (5.1 miles)
• Temple Israel Ner Tamid (5.8 miles)

Physicians

• Cleveland Clinic Severance Medical Arts (2.1 miles)
• University Suburban Health Center (3.2 miles)
• Senders Pediatrics (3.6 miles)
• Cleveland Clinic - Cole Eye Institute (3.7 miles)
• Cleveland Clinic - Taussig Cancer Center (3.8 miles)
• Cleveland Clinic R Building - Cleveland Clinic Children's Outpatient Center (4 miles)
• Cleveland Clinic - Mellen Center (4 miles)

Parks

• Coventry PEACE Park (2.5 miles)
• Desan Park (3.1 miles)
• Anderson Field (3.5 miles)
• Oakville Road Park (5.4 miles)
• Whiteford Park (5.8 miles)
• Coulby Park (6 miles)
• Willow Park (6.1 miles)

Hospitals

• Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center (3.1 miles)
• Cleveland Clinic - W.O. Walker Center (3.6 miles)
• University Hospitals (3.8 miles)
• Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital Rehabilitation Center (4.6 miles)
• St Vincent Charity Medical Center (6.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (3.2 miles)
• Starbucks (6 miles)
• Starbucks (6.5 miles)
• Starbucks (6.9 miles)

Transportation

• Greyhound Station (6.5 miles)
• Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport (6.6 miles)