Homeless Issues #30

Good day as well as a good evening warm and safe.

I have some news regarding our homeless population;

Locations: Placerville vicinity=140 … South Lake Tahoe=66 … So. ED county Somerset/Mt. Aukum vicinity=25…  total 231 persons counted. JSS, and others estimate that there are at least 70 persons that were not found and are not in this count.

Out of the total 231 count about 28 were counted and the other 70 missing the count, are the homeless people we see and don’t see as we travel our county, are those who visit our Nomadic Winter Shelter program and are living in tents or in the open. The other 203 persons are in Emergency Shelters of some kind. They reside temporarily with family and friends, in a Domestic Violence shelter, Substance Abuse Rreatment programs, and other locations and programs.

I want to heap praises and thanksgiving on the people of our El Dorado County Community Health Center, located on Golden Center Dr. That organization receives no financial  funding from El Dorado County government.

They provide health care to our homeless population at little or no cost to those they serve. Many of our homeless population have mental issues and are, in some cases, very mentally impaired. The Community Health Center has a three months waiting period for a mental health doctor who can take time to attempt to address the mental conditions the person might be suffering from and help correct or counsel them. Our County government mental health program is for emergency situations only, where a person is going to harm themselves or others immediately; and only rudimentary treatment for a very short time is given.

I pray that you give your support to the Community Health Center; they are the only alternative to that self-medication that cures pain, depression, loneliness, and comes in a little bottle for only $5.00. Community Health Center web site … www.eldoradocounty.org … a tax deductible non-profit organization. I recently got news that an “at risk” friend died because he could not afford “health insurance.” And he was a wonderful, loving, and giving person. He could not purchase his life because he was poorly educated and had to live life doing “pick-up” work. He not only worked for himself but worked to help others who could not pay him. The Community Health Center is the only salvation for those “at risk” and homeless persons we have in El Dorado county.

The Nomadic Winter Shelter, as we know it now, will close down on March 31. Those 20+ persons will be “out and about” as before. They will need tents to have a little place to keep warm, and feel that they have at least some kind of home. I pray that our new law enforcement officials will use understanding and compassion when possible while enforcing our laws. In the past I don’t feel the humanity for our citizens who have the least, were ever considered. I know the new sheriff, and respect his humanity and understanding of the problems concerning our homeless population. I expect him to uphold the laws, with the love and kindness he has shown, while traveling with me to the encampments and gathering places of the “at risk” and homeless population of this county. El Dorado, you made a good choice. High praises and all the love in the world to the volunteers who gave of their time, money, and understanding to the homeless population in the Nomadic Winter Shelter program. Rest well, we will need you again next year.

Ron is “cutting out” for about a month. Dave Justice of Cup of Noodles, in his van will take my place on Tuesdays delivering the necessities of life as well as his cups of noodles, for our homeless population. Curtis Ludwick will cover Fridays in our red Jeep. Socks, toilet paper, deodorant, clean clothing, and the other necessities will continue to be given out. The items you have donated to our cause are necessities. Our cause is being human to our fellow humans who have the least.

F.A.I.T.H., our feeding program really needs help cooking and/or delivering.  if you can do either one or both just one day a week. Just one day a week for one and a half hours one day. or one or two days a month, Contact Dee Hook @ 916-201-4619 or 916-941-9541

The Community Resource Center is now only open from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM, five days a week. Their contact number is .. 530-344-1864 ..