Reach Out, a temporary homeless shelter for men, will close its doors at the end of March.
During the temporary shelter’s three months of operation, some men have found more permanent housing while others have found jobs. The shelter relies on churches to rotate turns in feeding and housing the men at night. It was designed to remain open only during the winter and its close was expected.
About $70,000 is needed to run the shelter throughout winter 2009, coordinator Nancy Jaenicke said. Efforts to raise money begin this April. Some of the funding is available, but more is desired. The effort starts now: “Hoofing it for the Homeless,” an awareness walk and fundraiser, takes place noon to 2 p.m. April 4 in Federal Way.
An inside look
Meanwhile, men continue to visit the shelter nightly.
Anywhere from six to 20 men come, depending on the weather. Following their check-in at Calvary Lutheran church March 19, they stepped in line to get their homemade meal of spaghetti, bread and salad. After an hour of social and meal time, they grabbed plastic tubs full of their personal belongings, blankets and comfort items.
Small blue mattress pads in hand, they each found a place in the large room to settle in for the night. Lights dimmed at 10 p.m.
By 7 a.m. the next morning, the men would be on the streets again.
Some took the quiet time to scan their e-mail, do online research on their personal laptops or read the Bible. Many do not have the appearance of being homeless. They own some personal belongings, but have nowhere to call home.
Bob, a struggling real estate agent and military veteran, laid his mat near a door. The lights above reflected off the wood, providing a better reading atmosphere.
“I had good years,” said Bob, who preferred not to use his last name in print. “I have a lot to be proud of.”
False appearances
Lately, Bob has thought a lot about the Bible’s Book of Job, which is a Hebrew story in the Old Testament.
Once a big-time real estate agent, working on 100 percent commission, Bob made a good wage.
“I was an ace hotshot my first couple of years,” he said.
A downturn in the real estate market, paired with increasing debt and savings that do not cover the gap, led to homelessness.
“It really hasn’t worked out. In fact, it’s gotten worse,” Bob said.
He still rents office space — in hopes of landing a sale. He also does day labor, making about $200 a week. He’s filled out hundreds of job applications by his count and, despite having a college degree, has not found a living wage job. He keeps in contact with his friends and family via e-mail, but fails to mention he has no home. His situation is too embarrassing to share with loved ones, he said.
Sleeping in the snow during one of March’s colder nights made Bob realize something needed to change.
The Multi-Service Center in Federal Way referred him to the shelter a few days prior to his visit last Thursday. Now, he must learn the ropes of social service programs and pray for a change in luck.
Until he begins earning enough to cover his expenses, or until Reach Out closes at the end of the month, Bob will spend his nights camping on the church’s floor.
He is not alone. Many others — young and old — are in his same position. A 26-year-old recently released military veteran said he planned to return to the military to escape homelessness. The goal for the men is to utilize Reach Out for the shortest time possible. They are there because they want to improve their lives.
“These are the guys that want to change,” said Willie Turner, another Reach Out visitor.
A way out
Some men have succeeded. As reported by Reach Out case manager Jesus Nacanaynay, as many as eight men were helped with applications for benefits. Two military veterans were connected with a Valley Cities veterans specialist. Six men were assisted in their housing search. Two men found work. Three clients are connected with Valley Cities’ EASE, which offers job search skills.
“We’ve been waiting for the next guy to get something good,” Turner said.
When the shelter closes this month, the men will be referred to Kent’s H.O.M.E. and Renton’s A.R.I.S.E., both year-round shelters.
Learn more
Reach Out efforts began in 2007. The shelter is umbrellaed under the Multi-Service Center, giving it 501c3 non-profit status. The agency provides a site manager. The position rotates among several volunteers who check the men into the shelter and make sure they understand what is expected of them. Drugs, alcohol and trouble-causing attitudes are not welcome. Each month, one church volunteers to feed the men and another houses them overnight. The men’s belongings are kept on site. A counselor or case manager provided by Valley City Counseling, through the MSC, is available to help the men find housing, jobs and other services. The shelter is for men only. They must be willing to follow the rules and work toward change.
Get involved
Contact Mike Ballinger at (253) 927-3757 or via e-mail at mikeballinger@juno.com for more information and to get involved with the Hoofing it for the Homeless walk. Participants are asked to get donation pledges for the walk. Proceeds will go toward Reach Out’s winter 2009 operation budget.
Correction
In the printed version of this story, The Mirror mistakenly included a second headline on page four that read “Homeless shelter will close due to lack of money.”
The story was about the men’s Reach Out shelter. The Mirror would like to clarify that the shelter was planned to be a temporary emergency shelter to serve men during the winter months and it is not closing due to lack of funding. Reach Out is not designed to be a year-round shelter.
However, the proceeds from the April 4 awareness walk to benefit the shelter will go toward opening the facility winter 2009. Coordinators hope it will run October through March 2010. Approximately $70,000 is needed to operate the shelter throughout that time.
