Homeless Task Force looks for alternative
The San Benito County Homeless Task Force members aren’t getting
any breaks as they prepare for the 2008-2009 season, which starts
Nov. 29.
In addition to scrambling for a new place to feed clients, they
lost out on a federal grant that would have kept the shelter open
past March 15.
Homeless Task Force looks for alternative
The San Benito County Homeless Task Force members aren’t getting any breaks as they prepare for the 2008-2009 season, which starts Nov. 29.
In addition to scrambling for a new place to feed clients, they lost out on a federal grant that would have kept the shelter open past March 15.
The task force members were once again rejected for a federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development that they applied for with staff from Emmaus House, a domestic violence shelter.
In 2007, the group scored low for the grant so Doug Emerson, a Homeless Task Force member and Hollister mayor, and Dale Yarmouth, the former executive director for Emmaus House, went to Sacramento. They met with HUD staff to find out what they could do to strengthen their application.
“We wanted to see where we got points, where we lost points,” Emerson said.
HUD staff received 35 entries in the rural category and funded only eight projects. One of the things staff look for is applicants who have a history with past federal grants – and since the Homeless Task Force and Emmaus House have never received federal funds, they lost major points.
“Their argument is that they want to make sure they give to agencies that are fiscally responsible,” Emerson said.
The $120,000 would have gone to extending the season at the Homeless Shelter and the purchase of a large freezer to store food items. Emerson said with other grants, including $110,000 from a Community Development Block Grant, the board has enough money to operate the shelter for two seasons.
The reopening of the shelter, which is housed at the Migrant Camp on Southside Road, is further complicated by a planned kitchen renovation that will keep staff from cooking onsite. The shelter staff offers dinner, breakfast and a bagged lunch to clients.
“We knew it was going to happen, but we weren’t sure when,” Emerson said. “Whatever we do, it will be an added cost. We know that. We just don’t know how much.”
Cindy Parr, the shelter manager, said the board had considered a portable kitchen but soon found the cost would be prohibitive.
“We looked into them and contacted three different places,” Parr said. “The cheapest was $5,000 a month.”
A talk with Pauline Valdivia, of Jovenes de Antaño and a member of the Hollister City Council, quickly ruled out the possibility of using Meals on Wheels vehicles to deliver meals to the shelter. Parr said they were concerned about meeting environmental health standards for the meals. Even if they could get meals on site, Parr said they would need a way to clean dishes that meets commercial standards – or they would have to switch to disposable plates and cutlery, an added expense.
In addition Parr and a subcommittee of board members have looked into using kitchen facilities at the Hollister Community Center, Veterans Memorial Building and have even kicked around the idea of contacting the Hollister School District.
Even if they locate a new place to feed people until the kitchen renovation is complete – several months, at least – the staff will need to work out a way to transport people since local bus service stops at 6 p.m.
The staff and board members are looking into leasing a van or possibly finding someone in the community to donate an 8 or 10 passenger van that can be used to shuttle shelter clients from the dining site to the shelter.
“If we had an eight or 10 passenger van,” Emerson said, “It doesn’t take that long to shuttle back and forth.”
Parr and Emerson said at the height of the season last year, as many as 28 residents stayed at the shelter.
Despite the current setbacks, Parr and Emerson are both enthusiastic about the future of the shelter.
“We did develop a five-year plan at a retreat with a goal of having a full-time shelter in place,” Emerson said.
One of the first steps in the plan is to start a capital fund so that if a piece of land or building were to become available, the task force board would be able to purchase it.
Gary Byrne of Community Foundation is looking into bringing in some larger donors, such as the Packard Foundation, according to Emerson, and that would help with the project.
Still Emerson acknowledges that with the current state of the economy, it will be tough.
“We’ve seen it already,” Emerson said. “We started to see it last fall when we did our fundraising. Companies that don’t have the sales they used to can’t donate like they used to. And individuals don’t have the money to give.”
Parr remains optimistic.
“We have a board of 12 people that don’t only say what they are going to do, they are going to do it,” Parr said. “They are people that get things done.”
With a year-round shelter, Parr sees an opportunity to help people even more.
“We can help rehabilitate these people,” Parr said. “It’s not just a flophouse … These people are lost when the shelter is closed. It gives them an incentive to clean up and to want to better themselves.”
