When a record-breaking winter storm hit Garvin County last February, it brought sub-zero temperatures that lasted nearly two weeks. The unusually cold weather also left churches, civic organizations and social service agencies scrambling to provide shelter for the area’s homeless population.
Working together they managed to provide hotel rooms for many of those with no shelter and space heaters for those with shelter but no access to adequate heat.
But the experience also began a deeper conversation about finding long-term solutions to better assist the county’s homeless population.
“It was kind of a frantic thing (in February), because we didn’t have that go-to plan in place already,” Neil Barlow, pastor of Christian Life Church in Pauls Valley and a member of PV’s Ministerial Alliance explained to a group of citizens who gathered last week to discuss the issue.
Many in the group have been meeting regularly since March to help brainstorm ways they can help. They represent a diverse collection of organizations and agencies including the Samaritans Food Pantry, the Department of Human Services, Delta Community Services, the PV Ministerial Alliance, area churches and private citizens, some of which have personally experienced homelessness in this area.
Currently, Garvin County is a black hole in terms of homeless services; there are few, if any, services offered to address homelessness specifically and there are no full-time shelters available in the county.
Bonnie Meisel, who facilitated last week’s meeting, said the group has spent the last several months reaching out to other organizations and programs in the region that serve homeless populations to ask for input and advice about how they could start to fill that void.
Many of those agencies have shared their experience and wisdom, while others have offered to mentor the group.
As a start-up group with no funding, the first decision was to establish 501c3 status as a non-profit. That will allow the group, now called Garvin County Hope for Tomorrow, to apply for government funding and grants.
While opening a permanent shelter facility is not an option right now due to the facility, staffing and security considerations that are required to maintain a shelter, Meisel said the group has turned their attention to the pressing question of “How are we going to help with winter coming?”
They are considering how they might be able to arrange for temporary shelter to house people specifically at night in dangerously cold weather and are looking into grants to purchase cots and blankets.
Many of the organizations they’ve consulted in recent months don’t have shelters but do offer quarterly services such as free dental and medical clinics, haircuts, coats and blankets, all ideas the Garvin County group would like to implement. They would also like to offer resources like classes and skills training.
“We can’t just give a handout, we’ve got to figure out how to give a hand up,” Meisel said. “Every program we’ve talked to has advised us to provide services but also to require accountability, too.”
Garvin County Hope for Tomorrow’s next meeting is Nov. 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 320 N. Walnut, Pauls Valley. The purpose of the meeting will be to appoint executive board officers. Anyone who is interested in getting involved is welcome to attend.