While mortgage companies face challenges in the lagging economy, another kind of housing crisis is at play.
Clark County’s homeless population was 1,062 this year during a one-day count by the Vancouver-based Council for the Homeless. Fifty-nine percent of those people were in families with children.
There’s no one thing that leads a person or a family to homelessness, said Kelly Adams, the council’s development coordinator. It usually results from a combination of circumstances – and those situations are more likely to occur in today’s economy.
“People aren’t going from losing their home to becoming homeless, but there’s a ripple effect,” Adams said. “People are losing their jobs. … Gas prices are up, food prices are up. It’s (affecting) people who are on the edge or going over the edge.”
The council was formed in 1989 by the city of Vancouver, Clark County and the Vancouver Housing Authority.
“The three entities recognized that they had to work collaboratively to resolve the issue of homelessness,” said Craig Lyons, executive director of the nonprofit. “The easiest way to work across government lines is to create an entity that’s separate from it.”
Blending resources, plus persistent fundraising and advocacy, have allowed the organization’s seven full-time employees to reach more homeless people and social service agencies that rely on its emergency shelter hotline, community voice mail system and community education.
A major contributor to this year’s $520,000 budget has been the Clark County’ community fund, which gave about $150,000 toward the Council’s emergency shelter clearinghouse, community voice mail system, homeless management information systems and housing coordinator’s salary.
Local corporate sponsors also provide funding, including First Independent, Quantum Residential Inc., Key Property Services and Sunrise Bagels. Businesses provide funding and in-kind gifts, such as food, bedding, socks and underwear.
“Ensuring that we have value to the community is ultimately what keeps funding flowing,” Lyons said. “People stick around primarily (because) we can show results – tangible results.”
The organization has more than 2,000 volunteers, the majority of which are provided by local churches, Adams said.
Volunteers from 35 faith-based organizations gave at least 20,000 hours last year.
More than 1,400 volunteers also give to the council’s Winter Hospitality Overflow. The program, which served a record 675 people in 2007, provides shelter, food and showers during winter months at St. Andrew and St. Paul Lutheran churches in Vancouver.
“As soon as we can get people off the floor in the gym and into a home, we’re happy,” Lyons said.
Council for the Homeless
Craig Lyons, executive director
2500 Main St., Vancouver
360-993-9561
Charity Thompson can be reached at cthompson@vbjusa.com.
