By Eileen Brown
Impressive homes under construction above Wal-Mart and new condominiums at almost every corner give the impression that everyone has a safe place to rest his head without fear of being harmed.
Yet last month alone, there were 22 requests for shelter. LISA CLARK, Island County Director of Opportunity Council, said a head count is taken on one particular day each year. On that day last January, Island County had 146 known homeless.
Denying the problem exists because the homeless are “invisible” won’t solve a thing, but I expect more of us will help in even small ways once we read the facts in black and white.
“We shelter about 30 families a year and have hundreds of requests,” Clark said. Without mentioning all their locations, she said, “We have six sites, including one near the Senior Center. We also share six units in Oak Harbor, including three for emergency shelter at Marjie’s house, as well as four units for families in transition.”
Marjie’s House is a collaborative project designed and funded by requests made from the Housing Authority of Island County, Opportunity Council and CADA.
Only folks who work with the homeless can grasp the growing need.
“Need seems so much more important in a big city,” Clark continued. “We have a waiting list. Hundreds of people every year request shelter but some eventually fall off the edge. There aren’t enough resources to help all who call.”
She said most emergency shelter funds come from state and federal grants. The Legislature passed a requirement for a $10 fee to document records that go to the county and The Opportunity Council gets a portion to apply to homeless prevention, trying to keep people from becoming homeless in the first place. Requests have risen dramatically but funding has remained the same for the last six years.
The Housing Authority operates HUD’s Section 8 Voucher Choice Program and has 110 units of public housing for seniors or single disabled adults in Island County. The waiting list for Section 8 vouchers has been closed since June 1, 2004.
Clark wishes people wouldn’t assume homeless people are always the ones at fault. “Some people can be their own worst enemy and don’t seek help soon enough. But if you are in need, Opportunity Council is the point of entry for homeless services in Island County.”
JULIA SOPALSKI, housing case manager, sees walk-ins between 1 and 2 p.m. every day. Just come to the North Whidbey Family Resource Center at the corner of Whidbey and Regatta, north of the college and library.
If you are looking for a year-end good deed to perform, perhaps you’d like to contribute through gift cards from Safeway or Wal-Mart to provide food when Help House is closed, clothes to start a new job or backpacks for children.
To learn how you can help, financially, by volunteering, or through special projects, call Clark at 679-6577, ext. 131, or drop a note to Lisa_Clark@oppco.org.
Thank you, Help House
JEAN WEIMAN, executive director of North Whidbey Help House, comes face to face with hungry people every day. She and her staff work tirelessly to fill their plates.
If she were to be granted three wishes this Christmas, her first one would be, “That no one in our community would ever have to go hungry or not have a place to go home to.”
Her second wish? “That all our social service agencies could stop worrying about not having enough resources to help every client,” she said.
Her third wish: “No matter how big Oak Harbor gets, I hope it will never lose its generous, compassionate, small town feeling. Don’t forget about the people in your own backyard. There are people in need living closer than you think.”
Help House is located at 1091 SE Hathaway, up from Pioneer Way, in Oak Harbor. Call 675-0681.
William’s a winner
If anyone could make the Energizer Bunny look like a slacker, that would be WILLIAM BOLLES.
His day usually involves delivering the twice-weekly editions of the Whidbey News-Times to local stores and on Friday, getting the Northwest Navigator to the Navy base drop. Then he literally bounces to the front desk at the newspaper office to provide customer service, answer calls and treat everyone who enters as a VIP.
He must have been taught as a child to do a job well, cheerfully and get it right the first time. He shies away from public praise but got some anyway when publisher, Marcia Dan Dyke, announced his selection as Employee of the Year.
“I’m in total shock,” he said, adding, “Everybody is deserving.” Another round of applause, please.
Happy Birthday
Enjoy your birthdays while ye may, my still youthful friend. Actually, you can have a few of mine. Best wishes to JILL JOHNSON of the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce. Alpha cat Bella is in love with the pompoms on the scarf I brought home, so good luck getting it back.
Call me at 675-6611 or email lifeonwhidbey@yahoo.com.
