Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Argot.
Ken, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Diakonia was founded in 1972 as a missional outreach project of the Mennonite Church. During the summer young adults would come to Ocean City and provide homeless services to those on the OC Boardwalk, offering them to come back to the “house” for a meal and good night’s sleep. As the homeless issue continued to expand, a non-profit 501c3 organization was founded in 1986 and bought the property from the Mennonite Church, with the understanding that Diakonia, INC, would continue to serve as a homeless solutions provider in Ocean City. As the need grew, Diakonia’s 24/7 emergency shelter was always at capacity, serving 3 meals a day, so in 2001, a Transitional Housing complex was built behind the shelter house. In 2009, when Housing First became the new model for homelessness, Diakonia turned the transitional housing into more shelter space with longer stays until housing could be identified. It then provided financial assistance for re-housing those who were homeless with intensive case management to ensure success in their new home. At this time, Diakonia also expanded its reach to the entire Lower Eastern Shore and became co-chair of the Homeless Alliance of the Lower Shore (Continuum of Care). In 2015, Diakonia became a Supportive Services for Veteran Families providers, and subsequently, dedicated housing for homeless veterans and their families. By 2022, Diakonia noted an explosion of street homelessness during the peak of Ocean City’s summer months, so in 2023, Diakonia piloted a Street Outreach Rapid Response Team for the summer, in connection with the town, law enforcement, and local businesses. The success rate in providing for this need was so high, that it became a full-time, year-round Mobile Outreach Team for the entire Lower Shore in January 2025. Diakonia isn’t just focused on meeting a need, but understand the root causes of those needs, and provide a comprehensive approach to homelessness with Individual Service Plans for each constituent. Diakonia provides 24/7 Coordinated Assessments, and designs systems by which not just housing is secured, but factors such as employment, mental and physical heath, as well as addictive behaviors, are addressed in a way that values each individual and the plan they have to move forward. In addition, Diakonia provides a Food Pantry for low-income individuals and families serving over 15,000 people per year.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s never a smooth road. The first challenge was the explosion of homelessness following the dissolution of State Hospitals for which no comprehensive plan was carried out to provide for those who would now fall through the cracks. Non-profits have borne the bulk of the weight of this issue. While we certainly understand the reasons that led to this decision it has left a huge gap in our communities in regard to mental health. The second challenge is when after creating workable plans, funding streams change what they allow to be funded. An example of this is the defunding of transitional housing in light of housing first. While again, we understand the move, it creates difficulty in changing the way clients are handled, and not always for the better. Still, Diakonia continued to excel in the new environment, always adapting to changes and seeing new opportunities to make measurable outcomes more successful. In 2020, at the peak of the COVID pandemic, Diakonia even took over management of local hotels, in order to keep people socially distanced, and then planned an exit strategy to return to communal living as the pandemic ramped down. Finally, with the most recent change in regard to Housing First vs. Treatment First models, Diakonia is once again forced to adapt to funding opportunities, while still holding out a high level of excellence in developing paths for those who seek independent, self-reliant living arrangements.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Diakonia is the only comprehensive homeless service provider on the Eastern Shore, providing not only 24/7 emergency shelter, but full-time street and tent encampment outreach, housing navigation, and financial assistance with rental, utility assistance as well as security deposits. Diakonia provides intensive case management for each individual and family through mutually agreed upon service plans that address barriers to housing, and reasons for previous homelessness. Diakonia is locally owned and operated, and no funds go to any regional or national headquarters, and has served the local community for over 50 years. Diakonia is innovative, adaptable, compassionate, and authentic. It is transparent with its finances and procedures, and is a trusted agency in the local community as well as State and Federal grantors. Diakonia provides help for today and hope for tomorrow in a way that values human dignity, and encouraging their latent strengths to become more than they thought they could be. Diakonia’s staff is second to none. We have a healthy work environment that fosters hope within those who serve those in need. We value the growth of not only our constituents, but our staff in becoming their best selves. Diakonia’s desire to build a Supportive Living Campus is testament to not waiting for someone else to help fix the problems, but to build solutions where gaps already exist. Diakonia’s stabiity is in large part due to its supportive Board of Directors, that don’t function from a culture of scarcity, but of opportunity to invest in the lives of people who need a second chance.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
The biggest shift will be the construction of a new Veteran and Outreach office which will allow for more private consultation, Telehealth options, as well as space for training, and agency collaboration. With this move, Diakonia will centralize its services, including the enlargement of its Food Pantry and Thrift Store to allow for larger donations, and expanded times. The Food Pantry will be a patron-centered shopping experience as opposed to handing out premade boxes and bags. The building of actual housing will help open the bottleneck that currently exists for those who get stuck in shelter due to lack of affordable housing. The creation of multiple single-rent occupancy units will ensure that those who are housed can manage successfully within their own home with on-site intensive case management to ensure greatest success. Diakonia has also expanded its footprint with an MOU with another non-profit in Wicomico County to allow a team to work in Salisbury rather than driving to OC every day. This gives Diakonia greater on-site reach to some of the most populated places on the Lower Shore. Diakonia will continue to need to diversify funding away from grants to a greater balance of general donations. This would allow Diakonia less need to adapt, when funding is cut, restricted, or parameters of procedures change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.diakoniaoc.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diakoniaeasternshore
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diakoniaoc
