August 1, 2006

Shelter from the Cold

by Sherry Harbert

Just inside the Good Neighbor Center in Tigard, a young man waited. Charles, as he likes to be called, looked like any other young man, complete with T-shirt, jeans and baseball cap. Only his demeanor seemed out of place. He was poised yet filled with an excitement that seemed unusual for someone living in a shelter.

But Charles isn’t an unusual example of someone living in a shelter. He, like most others in shelters, are just like everyone else. If he was found waiting at a college, inside any large company or any other public venue,  he would be seen as a young man full of potential. But inside a homeless shelter he faces the burden that he and others must overcome for themselves and the community at large.

The perception of homelessness is one society drew long ago when homelessness was equated with a drunk on a park bench. In a May poll commissioned by Freddie Mac, the mortgage company established by Congress in 1970, and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, most Americans still see homelessness as a circumstance of single, unemployed men. It is in stark contrast to the true numbers of homelessness today. The poll revealed that over half of the registered voters contacted believe the stereotype of homelessness, when almost 600,000 families including 1.35 million children are homeless in the U.S.

For Charles, his wife and three sons, he not only represents the new look of homelessness, but also the new hope of countering it. His family has the same hopes, dreams and needs as other Oregonians. They don’t look or act differently. And, they do not wish to be homeless. It’s a message that is rarely heard among the public impression many people have about the homeless. As many government, nonprofit and faith-based organizations have found, it is daunting task to counter those misperceptions, as well as advocating for funding priorities to counter its steady growth in every community. But there is momentum building.

Governor Ted Kulongoski issued an executive order in April to establish a statewide council to end homelessness, finding more than 10,500 Oregonians homeless at any given day with 37 percent of those children. Multnomah County found 5,592 children homeless in its One Night Shelter Count, as part of a commissioned report released in March to address health care for the homeless.

Close to Home

In Washington County, only 1 in 10 people can be served in the four operating shelters. And, those numbers only reflect actual requests. Even maintaining the shelters, which offer a total of 110 beds, is in jeopardy. A defeat of a 2004 county tax levy left the four shelters without funds on June 30. The Good Neighbor Center in Tigard can only accommodate nine families, the Community Action Family Center in Hillsboro offers only 20 beds for five families, the Family Bridge Interfaith Hospitality Network in Hillsboro can meet the needs of three families with 12 beds, while the Domestic Violence Resource Center offers a total of 20 beds for abused women and their children. After representatives from the shelters describe the heart wrenching details of turning many homeless away and their fears of having to close their doors to the few they can help, a determined group of community leaders emerged. Now a growing interfaith and nonprofit “Bridge the Gap” campaign is underway to raise funds for the shelters to cover the immediate needs through the rest of the year. It is one part of an ongoing “Put a Face on Homelessness” campaign that is looking for long-term solutions.

In a May forum organized by the Forest Grove United Church of Christ outreach group at Pacific University, the initial goal to raise $90,000 for the four county shelters was just the first step. As the group has grown into an interfaith and nonprofit network, long-term solutions for prevention and ongoing services are being developed, including funding in a safety levy slated for the November ballot.

The group, headed by Eric Canon, discovered staggering statistics as it sought to learn what homelessness was like inside the county. For most working poor, a small event can start a chain reaction to plummet families into financial ruin and homelessness. Without any safety net afforded to the financially secure, 45,000 Washington County residents are merely one catastrophic illness or job loss away from homelessness. And it is much dire for families. For Charles, his wife and three young sons, shelters were the only thing that has kept them together.

Family Values

After the arrival of their first son, Charles and his wife were like most young couples. Their world seemed filled with possibilities and hope. They could not have realized how vulnerable or unprepared they would be to events that most financially secure residents can weather. Medical costs, a job loss and other issues soon plummeted the couple into financial ruin. Without any safety net or family support, they soon found themselves homeless. They were fortunate to find a shelter, but time restraints meant moving from one facility to another for the past two years.

The time spent inside one small room with the addition of two more sons almost tore the couple apart. But upon their arrival at the Good Neighbor Center, Charles said they see a chance to get back on their feet. “This place makes us feel better about ourselves,” he said. “We were at each other’s throat when we first arrived, but now we can focus on our kids. It’s a second chance to get stable again. You can better yourself here.”

Charles found a motivation to succeed that has propelled him to accomplishments he never would have realized. He proudly pointed to an award presented to him and his wife by the staff. The award recognized the couple as “Residents of the Week” for their outstanding perseverance, attitude and willingness to help and succeed. Charles said he looks at it everyday to get him through the program. Though Charles praises the staff for their involvement, it is no easy task. Every resident is required to be up by 7:30am, present at the community area for breakfast at 8:30am and required to perform internal and external duties each day.

“There’s a good sense of control,” he said. “The biggest surprise was finding out how the staff is totally involved. They are amazing. They set you up with a perfect case plan. It’s so structured that they break it down in weeks.” The mix of guidance and structure has motivated Charles in many ways, including helping others. Besides becoming a doting father to his three sons, aged two, one and four-months, he has become a resource for other children in the center. As he provided a quick tour of the shelter, other children responded immediately to him when they saw him coming. “Most kids don’t have dads here, so I try to interact with them all.”

Charles has found his role as father valuable in many ways. The shelter staff presented him with a “Super Star Award” for his commitment to his children and others. It hangs next to his other award for finding a job. But reality would soon pit Charles accomplishments into a dilemma between work and family. His wife had found a telemarketing job, but Charles was still seeking employment for himself. When he was eventually was offered a job that paid decently, he was excited. It was a major boost for him. His wife and the shelter staff rallied around his accomplishment. Charles felt like it was a step to care for his family until he was faced with the cost of child care. “I had to turn the job down because the cost for child care would be double what I would have earned,” said Charles. “It would have cost me $3,400 a month, so I’m trying to be an all-out dad.”

Charles reaction is why he is destined to succeed. It was another unexpected turn, but he continues to look positively to the future. And his continued work inside the shelter is why the staff rallies around him. “I found this awesome energy coming from here,” he said. “They’re giving me keys to opportunity. I can’t thank them enough.” Until they save enough money to move into an apartment, Charles is busy completing courses in parenting and finances, as well as coaching others in the shelter. He even wants to return to the shelter once he is out on his own. “I can’t wait to give back to them,” he said, noting that the shelter requires a one-year period of independence before residents can return as volunteers.

The Future

Charles motivations are amazing, but he concedes that there are times when he is discouraged. “Depression has been really bad, but there’s awesome people here,” he said. “Sometimes it’s so stressful, but you just have to stick to your program.” Although his goals are immediate and practical, Charles says the first thing he wants to do once he is in his own place is to simply sit down and watch television on his own couch. He says the hardest thing is letting go of the past, but focusing on the future day-by-day is what keeps him going. “This place makes me have no desire to go back to that past life,” he said. “This is a blessing for the future.”

What has also amazed Charles the most is the amount of donations that pour into the shelter. Even in his cramped room, he proudly points to the toys, clothes and household items that will soon fill his home. “It means a lot to me that there are people out there who care,” he said. “All those who donate make a difference.” His most prized possession is a reconditioned computer. He said he just can’t get over that someone would care enough to give something more than just the basics. Such gifts are what keep Charles focused on his future and the struggle to make it independently once he leaves the shelter.

The Perfect Example

Charles realizes his efforts have made him an example of success for the Good Neighbor Center. It is a role he both relishes and appreciates. “We’re not sitting here saying ‘poor me.’ We’re good people,” he said. “We should be treated like everyone else. We’re trying to solve problems like everyone else.”

Charles said he can’t imagine where he and his family would be without the shelter. It is a concern that has compelled many in the “Put a Face on Homelessness” campaign to persevere through mounting budget cuts, voter apathy and daunting needs to offer help to those most vulnerable in the county. The inclusion of shelter funding in the safety levy slated for the November ballot is a first step, but it is just a continuation of current levels of shelter support. But as Charles’ example shows, there is much that can be done if there is a willingness.

Besides Canon, group leader for the campaign, Dr. Russ Dondero, Ramsey Weit, Executive Director of The Community Housing Fund, Kirsten Ludwig of Community Action Organization, Steve Whistler, Joan Stoneking and Liz Swenson, staff at each of the four shelters and churches throughout the county are looking to meet immediate needs and seek long-term solutions to homelessness.

The campaign will begin with a presentation to the Washington County Commissioners of funds to cover the immediate costs of running the shelters. To contribute to the fund, send a check with the “Family Shelters” designation to The Community Housing Fund, 3700 SW Murray Blvd., Suite 190, Beaverton, Oregon 97005 through the end of August. For more information, call Ramsay Weit at 503-643-5437 or Eric Canon at 503-357-3282.

For more information about the November ballot tax levy, “Criminal Justice Local Option Levy,” go to www.safecommunitysite.org.

Author’s note: Charles struggled to let go of his past to embrace the future. As it is his only focus now, only his present and future were reflected in the story. SH

© 2006, Foreign Interest

For more information:

Good Neighbor Center: www.goodneighborcenter.org

Community Housing Fund: www.thecommunityhousingfund.org