AMERICA'S POVERTY FIGHTING NETWORK
KLCAS News
HOMELESS COUNT
Survey tracks local population
By MEGAN DOYLE
H&N Staff Writer
Donna Bowman walked toward a known homeless camp by railroad tracks Thursday, but was forced to turn around by deep snow.
“I can’t imagine living in a tent right now,” she said.
Bowman, director of Klamath Lake County Community Action Services, planned to conduct an annual “point in time” homeless count required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The required survey will still be completed through shelters and other agencies that provide services in the community, but it won’t be an accurate number because of some of places couldn’t be reached.
The surveys ask homeless people basic demographic questions and what services they think are needed. The result helps the state determine where to send money and what programs and services to provide.
“We want to know what they need that they’re not getting,” said LeeAnne Tidwell, program assistant.
“There’s so much we could in this community to help,” Bowman said.
The information also will be used to educate residents that homeless people live in their county.
“The community needs to know what we have here,” Bowman said. “We do have folks in this community that are homeless that are in need.”
They know of a few places where people camp, but others stay in cars or “couch surf” by staying at homes of different friends and family.
There are also shelters in the area that help with the count, including Exodus House and the Klamath Crisis Center.
The Gospel Mission shelter in Klamath Falls has a capacity for 50 men and eight women.
“We’ve been full ever since the weather started getting bad,” said Kent Berry, Gospel Mission shelter executive director.
If needed, they can provide pallets for beds in the basement and in a real emergency, they can use the chapel.
The Women and Children’s shelter has a capacity of 15. About eight women are staying in it now.
The requirements for the two shelters are that a person is alcohol and drug free and must abide the rules.
It would be nice for people who are homeless to have a place just to get warmed up without being harassed, Tidwell said.
Publication: Herald and News
Date: Feb. 1, 2008
Section: Front Page
Page Number: A1
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Klamath & Lake Community Action Services participated in the Annual One Night Homeless Count as mandated by Oregon Housing and Community Services. |
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Conducting an annual Homeless Count not only gives us the information needed by the state to determine proper funding for our homeless services, but brings community awareness to the homeless population we are serving. We take this opportunity to discuss the needs that are being addressed as well as the needs that we need to address. |
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Due to extreme weather conditions we were unable to survey many of the unsheltered homeless individuals dwelling in Klamath and Lake counties. We also lost most of our agency volunteers due to office closures and safety precautions. Join our efforts this summer by contacting LeeAnne Tidwell at 850-8388 or by email at ltidwell@co.klamath.or.us |
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