Lewis County Holds First Summer Project Homeless Connect Event

In Rotary Riverside Park on Thursday, Lewis County Public Health and Social Services offered domestic comforts to locals without homes.

At the first annual summer Project Homeless Connect event, the homeless community gathered in the Centralia park for a free BBQ lunch, kids games and activities, a raffle, other giveaways — and access to a host of information.

As they visited picnic tables and booths throughout the park, attendees learned about available services, from shelter and housing assistance, to children’s dental and medical care, to mental health and addiction help.

The event ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and as of noon, close to 50 families, couples and individuals were in attendance.

Public Health and Social Services sponsors a similar event, Project Homeless Connect, each year in January. The formal event, held at Yard Birds, includes a Point in Time count, a survey which provides information about the county’s demographics.

The summer Homeless Connect, the county’s first, was less formal, but just as important, according to Andrea Arteaga, of the Lewis County Shelter Project.

“It’s nice to reconnect in a casual setting,” Arteaga said. “It’s important to let them know that we don’t need to just seem them once, and we’re done.”

The Homeless Connect events allow Lewis County service providers to educate the homeless community and dispel any misconceptions they might have.

“A lot of people think we’re just the shelters and rental assistance,” Arteaga said, “but we also provide housing advocacy. If someone’s being evicted, or maybe there’s a lot of barriers to them getting housing, we can help them.”

“You don’t have to be looking for shelter to visit us,” she said. “We’re happy to just answer questions.”

Lewis County’s various service providers have spent the last several weeks getting organized and prepared for the event, according to Arteaga, who previously worked for the Human Response Network.

“For the first time (we’re holding it) it’s a pretty good turnout,” she said.

Service providers Linda Tomasheck, of Valley View Health Center, and Connie Robertson, of Centralia College, agreed.

“We have lots and lots of people come to Centralia College and not all of them have homes,” Robertson, the college’s educational and job placement services specialist, said. “That shouldn’t be a barrier. We’ll work with you.”

The Baker family, Winlock, along with other members of Jesus Name Pentecostal Church, volunteered at Thursday’s event.

Jade, father to Jaden, 10, and Joelee, 13, said he and his daughters hoped to let homeless folks know that “there are options, and there’s a place for them to go to church.”

Lewis County in 2013 saw a decrease in its homeless population compared to 2012, but still showed numbers higher than those recorded in 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s annual Point in Time Survey.

The count — completed at the January Homeless Connect — indicated there are 58 sheltered people, 70 unsheltered people and 77 people temporarily living with family or friends in the county.

Last year, there were 62 sheltered people, 99 unsheltered and 148 temporarily living with family or friends.

Michaelle Sorlie, the Lewis County housing coordinator, attributes the decrease, in part, to general economic improvement.