Not Such A little thing....
The lack of a state budget has hit home at Yolo Wayfarer Center where 55% of staff was cut on Wednesday and 19 substance abuse treatment beds were removed from service. Thirteen full time employees were given lay off notices Wednesday.
"The hope of resolving the cause of homelessness and starting a new life of accountability has been eliminated for a number of individuals, all because the state cannot pass its budget," said Leona Jull, executive director of Yolo Wayfarer Center (YWC). "In 2009, those 19 beds taken out of service were home to 85 clients who successfully eliminated their addictions, reunited with their family, found employment and became responsible citizens. Beginning this week those beds will sit empty."
The immediate loss of nearly $140,000 in state funding also impacted the Yolo County Emergency shelter where currently more than 20 children seek nightly shelter.
"While the primary program affected is Walter's House, we have to also reduce our day services at the Yolo County Emergency Shelter because staff crosses over between both programs and the amount of staff we're left with cannot handle everything. This means that the homeless that we don't have beds for also now have no access to showers, laundry or mail services," Jull said.
YWC was notified last Friday that contracted funding from the State Department of Corrections, already four months behind in payment, would not be realized. The funds are directly contracted to West Care (a substance abuse treatment provider) which sub contracted to YWC to provide 11 of the 44 available beds at Walter's House.
Seven of Walter's House clients will be moved to other programs in the region immediately. YWC is working with partner agencies to relocate these clients to other West Care facilities. The 22 beds to remain available are funded by other grants and will remain open. YWC also accepts private pay for treatment beds.
"This reduction means Wayfarer will not be able to take on any extra projects this year including Thanksgiving baskets for the community," Jull said. "As much as we hate this we just can't ask what few staff we have left to keep doing more and more with less and less."
Two years ago YWC reduced the number of clients who receive overnight shelter from 73 to 50, because of other funding reductions. Jull said the shelter has been at full capacity all summer with mostly families and children impacted by job layoffs and home foreclosures. The shelter is already turning people away. Jull said when the cold weather sets in the shelter will have to turn away more homeless individuals. Families with children will be given top priority.
"The shelter has never seen this high a number of families this early in the year," Jull said. "More than six families including 20 children have had to make the Emergency Shelter their home in July alone."
In 2009 the shelter served 457 homeless individuals including 49 children. From Jan-July of 2010 YWC has already provided emergency shelter to 326 individuals including 41 children.
"These have been incredibly difficult decisions, but beyond our control," Jull said. "Our staff team is like family and to have to make these kinds of cuts has been very painful. It will be felt beyond our organization and into the community as we have to continue to turn away homeless individuals and families, reduce our services and sustain our remaining programs with less than half of the staff we have had in the past."
Donations to reinstate day services and increase the number of beds at the emergency shelter are welcome. Donations may be sent to P.O. Box 1218, Woodland, Ca 95776 (or online at www.ywcmission.org). Volunteers are welcome at meal times. The shelter is located at Fourth and North streets in Woodland.
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Not Such A little thing....
Let's put it into perspective: For $28.30 per day Wayfarer provides three meals, clothing, overnight shelter, hygiene supplies, laundry, phone and mail services and one-on-one case management services for one homeless individual. They also participate in skills classes including: employment, housing, budgeting, drug education, literacy and life skills.
The $3,000 spent on toilet paper costs 106 days of shelter and services (almost the entire winter season) for one homeless individual.
Your donated paper products are a significant benefit, reducing operating costs and keeping cash donations directed toward providing services to homeless individuals.
The United Way 2010 Toilet Paper Drive is starting. Won’t you donate a jumbo pack today?
Drop off your paper donation today at Fourth and North streets in Woodland, between the hours of 1 and 10 p.m.. For more information call 661-1218.
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Twins born into homelessness at Christmas time
On Christmas Day Xavier Taa’a and Orion Meecha, named for their native heritage to the Yaqui Tribe, were released from the hospital -- into homelessness. Born on December 22, 2009, the twins joined their five year old brother Kevin and their parents, Alexandria (24) and Arthur (30) (last name withheld for privacy) – who have fought homelessness all their lives – separately and together -- because of mental health issues.
“Alexandria has fought hard to get out of the cycle of homelessness which she has been familiar with for years,” said Leona Jull, executive director of the Yolo Wayfarer Center. “Her mother and brothers are also homeless in other locations. Her family members remain homeless due to challenges related to their mental illness.”
Shortly after the birth of her first son, Alexandria almost led the family out of homelessness through a transitional housing program. While she was in a stable environment she went back to school and earned her GED. She then continued on to college and currently finds herself just a few credits shy of earning an AA degree. Then Arthur lost his job.
Arthur understands mental health issues as he said he is working with the local mental health department to find the appropriate treatment for himself, so he can work and support his children.
“Reduced services and furloughs made it difficult over the holidays,” Jull said. “Arthur is an only child and has no living family.”
Yolo Wayfarer Center and the Family Resource Center worked with the hospital social worker to find a solution that would help the family until they could find employment.
The Family Resource Center assisted using some recently awarded stimulus funds - Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing (HPRP) – to provide temporary shelter until a family transitional housing unit was available at Yolo Wayfarer’s Family Transitional Housing Program.
“Placing the family in a hotel room instead of the emergency shelter -- where we currently serve more than 40 other homeless individuals, families and their children --provided the five-pound babies a reduced risk of catching a cold or virus,” Jull said. “Finding employment was the New Year priority for this family.”
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Empty Bowls brings $20,000 to the homeless
Local artists and restaurants presented their generosity in feeding the hungry at the fourth Empty Bowls event Thursday, October 15, 2009. The event was held at the United Methodist Church located at the corner of Second and North streets in Woodland.
The event brought in $20,000 which was used to help feed the hungry through the Yolo Wayfarer Center.
Empty Bowls is a national event started in 1990 by a group of high school students in Michigan searching for a way to raise funds for a food drive. What evolved was a class project to make ceramic bowls for a fundraising meal.
Guests select a handmade bowl and then will be served a simple soup lunch, donated by local restaurants. The bowls are made by art students and artists from around the county.
“The beautiful selection of bowls is truly a sight to see,” said Leona Jull, executive director of the Yolo Wayfarer Center. “Participants can remember, each time they take the hand made bowl from the cupboard that someone’s bowl is always empty and that on this one occasion they helped alleviate hunger and could choose to do so again at any time.”
Participating schools will also provide bowls made by students who have the opportunity to learn about hunger in their own neighborhood.
This year's event planning will start soon. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to call the Yolo Wayfarer Center at 661-1218.
Yolo Wayfarer Center has provided services for the hungry and homeless since 1984. This event helps keep the daily meals available over a 12 month period.