Archive for category: Blog

We would like to thank our friends who continue to bless us with donations that keep our clients fed and clothed this time of year. We have many folks who just drop in with much-needed gifts of food, hygiene items, and clothes for our folks.

Due to the Covid-19 we are faced with additional problems this summer.

While we and our partners, Bread and Blessings and Community Meal are providing meals all week, we are having to have clients eat outside. We only have inside seating for a dozen or so. With the heat, we are allowing small numbers inside for the afternoon.

A pressing need at this time is a space for folks to camp outside. We have several men and women who are over 70 and spend their nights on the street. They try to stay around here because of us providing food, showers, laundry, and fellowship. They are not capable of walking too far in the heat to find a place to camp.

Homelessness is not a crime. It is messy, but with a little public money to supply hand washing, bathroom and disposal facilities, and a bit of over site it could make for a better life for these folks. For the most part, these are long time The Dalles citizens.

If you have any ideas on how to assist these folks, or would like to discuss it with me, please contact us.

As the year is ending, we would like to thank all who have contributed to the work we have chosen to do.

• The food and clothing dropped off at the service center that goes to our homeless population.
• To those who donate to St. Vinnies store on 9^th street, which allows us to voucher thousands of dollars in merchandise during the year.
• To the countless churches, groups, and friends who come to prepare and serve at Community Meal Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• To Haystack Broadcasting in association with numerous businesses that sponsor and donate coats, clothing, and money to support our mission in November and December.
• To our local firefighters who spend a week in December along with students collecting food for ELFF. Those same hero’s, along with city and state police and the sheriff’s department take children in need shopping at Fred Meyer for back to school.
• To Bread and Blessings that serves a meal daily in our building.
• To all the volunteers who work in the Warming Place, to provide shelter for homeless folks on cold winter nights.

Thank you for your contributions.

As you can see, we are supported by organizations and individuals in the area. Our service center provides space for:

• Bread and Blessings
• Community Meal
• The Warming Place,
• Showers,
• Laundry,
• Computer use,
• A place to spend cold afternoons
• And to get needed supplies like tents, sleeping bags, gloves, hats, vouchers for clothing at St. Vinnies,
• As well as gas, propane, bus tickets, and emergency housing.

In addition, we help with prescriptions, eyeglasses, auto needs, transportation issues, and a food bank that serves hundreds each month.

These are all items that require financial support. Please consider supporting us with a regular monthly donation.  Needless to say, we accept all donations whatever the type or size.

WHERE DO I GO—-WHERE DO I PUT MY STUFF—WHERE CAN I USE THE BATHROOM

This is the constant drumbeat of the homeless. We have many long-term residents of The Dalles who have HUD vouchers, have some income, but cannot find a place to live. When I asked what led to that homelessness the answers ranged from alcohol, drugs and bad relationships to coming out as trans-gendered. When I asked if they could work, most said they were disabled. Almost all are over 30, and most are in their 50’s or 60’s. When the question was “one thing that would help the most”? Most responded a place to sleep; a home.  One respondent just said, “shoot me”.

By the Numbers

January – September 2019

Ministry

• Cases logged 405
• People Served 692
• Emergency Housing 125 nights @$99 a Night
• Bus Tickets $1400.00
• Clothing Vouchers 412 people
• Propane 125
• Showers provided 983
• Laundry Loads 648

Food Bank

• Households 2285
• Number of people 7474
• Pounds of Food Provided 150,533

F and J Stories

F’s Story– F was a charter member of the “Hot Shots” firefighters. He started in 1978 and worked until 1996. He was the first Native American to work for The Dalles Fire department. It didn’t last long when they figured out he was only 15 years old. He lost his girlfriend in the Storm King Fire in Colorado.  He was a foreman, and when his wife left him, he raised seven daughters and two sons on his own. Alcohol became a problem for him later, and he lost his house and job. He has been sober for twenty years but is now disabled.

J’s Story– She has never had a drug problem, but does have PTSD and is bi-polar. She was living with her mom and being her caretaker when her nephew moved in.  He was a drug user and seller and raided her mother’s bank account, and after her mother developed dementia, the home was raided and drugs were found. Her mother was moved to a nursing home, and J served time because of the drugs in her home. She was left homeless when her sister took control of the property and had her removed.

They now live in a car with three dogs. They are industrious.  They have a tent and basic items like warmers and make use of available electric plug-ins to cook food and take care of themselves. They have a HUD voucher but have had no luck in finding a place. They are working with the Center for Living and have a positive outlook regarding their situation. If only they could find a place to live.

Homeless in The Dalles Story

I became homeless when the man who was a father figure to me began touching my daughter very inappropriately. I was receiving no state support because I refused to disclose the name of the man responsible for this child coming into being. Gone was any sense of security. I trusted no one. Anyone. Period. 

So I got me a tent. I applied to HUD and began the never-ending waitlist with them knowing I was homeless with a kid and living in a tent. Very scary place to be as a mother. It would have been all good and great except where do you take a shower and bathe your child?  Who do you run to when you feel like you have nothing and no one?

I didn’t know about SVDP in the beginning, but by the time I did my child was already staying with my dad and stepmom because it was getting cold outside and I couldn’t keep her out there in the unknown, living in a tent in the rainy fall with winter on the way, and waiting for a voucher with no guarantee of when it would arrive. I was homeless for nearly two years.

There is hope:

Once you get down that far everything just feels hopeless. I had never been stuck in a rut this deep. If I was to get a job, how would I be reached? Who would babysit as I trusted no one? Even If I got a job would I be able to shower, wash my hair and brush my teeth? How to have clean clothes to wear and how to get my kid to a sitter. Then I got by HUD voucher and could not find a place within the amount I could afford. I was at risk of losing the very voucher it took almost two years to get!!! On top of that HUD, was trying to take the voucher back because my child was living at my dad’s house and wasn’t with me. So I had to put my child out on the street with me to be eligible for the voucher.

Angels Appear:

Someone decided to give me a hand up out of my rut after watching me struggle. It was a hand up, not a handout. I rented a room for a year and adjusted to a new life. Then I got my very own apartment. Then I took three jobs. Today I have a two-bedroom apartment, my child, a car, a truck that needs some work,  and one very good job.  The most important thing is a very happy little girl that I love more than anything

In the world. Life is going OK.