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oop The Sc THE COULEE REGION
Article: Sara Walters
HOME TOWN
PROVIDING A HOME FOR THE HOMELESS
Local organizations offer warmth this winter.
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nyone who has ever driven down West Avenue on a winter evening has seen the line of homeless men and women outside First Baptist Church. It has become an image that’s hard to forget, a profound symbol of a local problem. Although far from a metropolitan area, La Crosse has its fair share of homeless people. In 2013, the local Salvation Army Emergency Shelter, which has a capacity of 80, provided 21,149 nights of shelter for men, women and families, according to Kelley Bundy, director of social services. “We are almost always near or at capacity,” she said. Mary Fitzpatrick, executive director of the La Crosse Warming Center, a new facility located at 413 S. Third St., has seen a similar turnout. On Nov. 4, only the
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fourth night since opening their doors, the Warming Center had 31 guests, just shy of its 35-person capacity. “There’s more [homeless individuals] than you realize,” said Fitzpatrick. Despite public perception, Fitzpatrick shared that guests at the center are sometimes there for reasons that are out of their control, such as transitioning between housing or waiting for disability assistance. Some of them aren’t even unemployed. In fact, Fitzpatrick’s team of volunteers provide wake up calls for guests who need to head off to work in the morning. Although the Warming Center, unlike the Salvation Army, allows visitors who have been drinking, that is very seldom the case. “Most of the people that show up don’t seem like they’ve been drinking,” said Fitzpatrick. In general, the average guest is someone who has found themselves jobless, evicted or facing bad credit. Almost always, they’ve been there more than once. “Most of them are not transient,” added Fitzpatrick. Sadly, it’s not just single men and women who are experiencing homelessness in our city. “Most nights, our family rooms are full and we have to turn at least one family [away],” said Bundy. The Warming Center is not equipped for families, but Fitzpatrick also noted this problem. “Every school has homeless students,” she said. As winter approaches, these facilities will team up to protect men and women from the dangerous weather. “In the winter we are able to work with Catholic Charities and refer people back and forth to make sure no
one is sleeping outside,” said Bundy. Ensuring that no one is left in the cold hasn’t always been easy. Cramped quarters at the previous Catholic Charities shelter at First Baptist caused 300 people to be turned away last year. That’s when organizers joined forces with Rick Staff, president of Gerrard-Hoeschler Realtors. Staff stepped in to help find and purchase a building that could be a permanent warming facility. Providing the necessary real estate knowledge and, along with his wife, Nancy Gerrard, the endowment of the building, Staff and Catholic Charities made the vision a reality for this winter season. But making sure the homeless are warm isn’t their only goal. “The point is not just to get them out of the weather, but to also get them out of their situation,” Staff said. Initial conversations about a drop-in center have started, including discussions of life and job skill training, along with the addition of mental health staff. So far, the response from guests at the Warming Center has been very positive. “The space has a really good feel to it. It feels like a welcoming place. Hospitality is a big part of what we want to offer,” said Fitzpatrick. The facility offers an eat-in kitchen, a sleeping area, a clothes closet, laundry and showers. Many fear, though, that providing an improved shelter will invite more homeless people to the area. As Staff sees it, this isn’t a real concern. “It’s a friendly place that people want to come to, but it’s also a place of last resort.” He hopes the presence of a
larger shelter — nearly double the capacity of First Baptist — will improve the livability of the community by cutting down on people sleeping in parking ramps and loitering at the public library. Shelter facilities are in place for when the snow flies, but volunteers are needed to keep these resources up and running all year. The Warming Center alone needs a minimum of 42 volunteers a week, so opportunities are endless. To find out more about how you can help battle homelessness in La Crosse, contact the organizations below.
How You Can Help
Volunteer at the Warming Center: Help in the kitchen, join the cleaning crew and more. Contact Mary Fitzpatrick at 608-519-8020. Join the Homeless Coalition: Professionals, concerned community members and formerly homeless individuals meet once a month to discuss issues. Contact Kim Cable at 608-782-4877. Lend a hand at the Salvation Army: Volunteer opportunities abound! Contact Kelley Bundy at 608-782-4938.
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We’ve all heard of food drives and food pantries, especially around the holiday season. That’s because hunger is a real issue in most communities and the holidays are a feel-good time of year when folks feel compelled to help others. My wish is that we all remember there are people in need year-round. This season, we’re on board to plug food drives and food pantries because they need us to donate. In addition, I have personally benefited in my time of need from food pantries. I’m not ashamed of this. It’s food. We all need to eat. Many of us have families and bust our butts to earn a living, but sometimes it’s difficult to pay for all we need. So we grow what food we can, earn what money we can, and when we’re in a position to share, we give what we can. If you’re able to share, show off your finest sense of altruism and bring some cans or boxes of non-perishable food to your local drive or pantry. Let’s keep in mind that the Coulee Region is an amazing place to live … with its hidden problems. Approximately 23 percent of people in the cities of La Crosse and Winona are living below poverty level - nearly double that of Wisconsin as a whole (U.S. Census Bureau). These aren’t people unwilling to work; these numbers are largely comprised of children, the elderly, and working parents. I think we all get it. Let’s care for each other. Your next step is to grab the foods you can, put them in a bag, and get it in the right hands. Our next step is to tell you how and where.
All locations have varying hours of drop-off availability. Please contact your closest location before donating. If you are in need, please reach out to any of these organizations. Your community is here for you. source - quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states
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December, 2014 // KlutchChronicle.com
By Michelle Jerome
CATHOLIC CHARITIES FOOD PANTRY 3710 East Ave South, La Crosse (608) 782-0710 HOKAH AREA FOOD SHELF 57 Main Street, Hokah, MN THE HUNGER TASK FORCE 1240 Clinton St., La Crosse (608) 793-1002 www.lacrossehtf.org LA CRESCENT AREA FOOD SHELF 21 North Hill, La Crescent, MN LIVING FAITH FOOD PANTRY 852 N. Main St., Viroqua (608) 637-7410 ONALASKA EMERGENCY FOOD BASKET 735 Sand Lake Rd., Onalaska RIVER OF LIFE 1214 County Road PH, Onalaska (608) 782-2780 THE SALVATION ARMY 223 N. 8th St., La Crosse (608) 782-6126 www.centralusa.salvationarmy.org SEMCAC RUSHFORD FOOD SHELF 113 E Jessie St., Rushford, MN (507) 864-8224 WAFER 403 Causeway Blvd., La Crosse (608) 782-6003 www.waferlacrosse.org WINONA VOLUNTEER SERVICES 402 E Second St., Winona, MN (507) 452-5591