Organizations Team Together To Help Homeless

Tools

By Kenneth Wong

Story Published: Jan 27, 2012 at 7:01 PM MST

Story Updated: Jan 27, 2012 at 7:16 PM MST

BILLINGS - It was a marketplace of assistance for homeless people across the Magic City on Friday, as dozens of community organizations gathered at the Al-Bedoo Shrine Auditorium for 2012's Billings Community Connect. The event, however, also brought with it some concerning news on the state of the city's homeless.

"This year, we have had an increase in number already," said Lynda Woods with the City of Billings' Community Development Department, referring to the number of people attending. Preliminary figures show more than 475 people attending the event on Friday, and almost all of them are already homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless. The Community Connect event gave Lynda an opportunity to do an annual census on the city's homeless population.

"We have done surveys at the shelters, and we're also doing surveys at community partners, as well, throughout the community," said Lynda.

Besides the survey, however, the event was focused on providing needed help to the city's homeless.

"We have the mental health center, Rimrock Foundation, nutrition, SNAP benefits," said Lynda, who went on to say that even though the homeless population is rising, the city can now better handle the demands on services, thanks to a long-term plan by the city to address the problem. The plan was drafted in 2009, and Lynda said the plan is already working.

"Increasing collaboration between service providers, letting other service providers know what someone else is doing, reducing siloing of resources, and sharing resources and information," said Lynda.

The optimism was shared by people at the event, but they also said the city could do better.

"If the government could help us out with a little more funding for housing, maybe speed up the housing list. A lot of us have already applied for Section A vouchers, and stuff like that. That's almost dang near a year-and-a-half waiting list," said Randy Bruce, who is currently living on his friend's sofa.

In response, Lynda said she understands the problem, but that budget for affordable housing is severely limited.

"We have such a high need for affordable housing, that we're just not able to meet all of it, and I think that's gonna take a community response."

A final count on the city's homeless will be available in early February.

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