The message of the Point in Time count: You matter. And we can help.
Today brings the annual tally of people who are homeless in East Jefferson County, an event the Olympic Community Action Programs (OlyCAP) is leading. Normally held in January, this year’s count was postponed due to the surge in COVID, but now, with cases on the wane, the staff and volunteers are ready.
“More than ever, this count is important to prove the need for housing of all kinds, from shelters for families to permanent supportive housing,” said Kathy Morgan, director of Housing and Community Development for OlyCAP.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, the agency will host what she calls “mini magnet” events, providing pizza, snacks, sleeping bags, blankets, coats, socks, face masks, pet food and other supplies.
The four locations:
• The Winter Welcoming Center in the Pope Marine Building, on the dock at Madison and Water streets, Port Townsend;
• The Tri-Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Road, Chimacum;
• The Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Highway 101, Quilcene;
• The Brinnon Community Center, 306144 U.S. Highway 101, Brinnon.
At the Quilcene and Tri-Area community centers, OlyCAP and the Jefferson County Health Department also will host free vaccination clinics for people who are unsheltered or at risk of becoming homeless. Along with immunizations, the clinics provide information about the COVID vaccine — including a “mythbusters” fact sheet — and $50 Visa cards for those who receive the shot.
The Point in Time count’s mission, said OlyCAP housing manager Allison Arthur, is to connect with people who are living in tents, cars, RVs, abandoned dwellings or other places not meant for permanent habitation. That includes people fleeing domestic violence.
A count was conducted last year, but Arthur declined to give the number, saying she believes it wasn’t accurate. She did cite the January 2020 Point in Time’s tally of about 200 people.
This year’s effort, Arthur said, extends beyond today. Volunteers will go to food banks in Quilcene, Port Townsend and Brinnon during the coming week to count people who are homeless; they will also visit two more Port Townsend places: the Recovery Cafe at Blaine and Kearney streets and the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Just Soup event, which provides a curbside-delivered lunch every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at 1020 Jefferson St.
Information about OlyCAP and its services and future volunteer opportunities, meanwhile, can be found at OlyCAP.org or by phoning 360-385-2571.
“We take this count very seriously, because it’s important for the people with the money — the government — to understand the magnitude of the situation,” Arthur said.
Her hope is for federal and state funders to share financial resources to help build affordable housing, including the kind for low-income residents. Arthur said she works with clients at OlyCAP whose Social Security or disability benefits are less than $800 a month.
Just as important, she said, is letting people know OlyCAP — as well as Dove House and Bayside Housing & Services, who help with the count — is out there in the community.
“Hey, we see you. We have resources that can help you move forward. We care,” Arthur summarized.
OlyCAP’s 7th Haven project under construction in Port Townsend is an example of the state helping to fund new housing for people who are struggling, she said. The state Department of Commerce granted $11.3 million for the $15.4 million complex, which will have 43 apartments and a child care center.
OlyCAP has helped many working people — employees of restaurants, the hospital, the paper mill — who were homeless at some point, Arthur said.
“When you go to Safeway or QFC or the (The Food) Co-op, the odds are you are standing in line with someone who is now or has in the past experienced homelessness,” she added.
People shouldn’t judge them, Arthur said. For the majority, the reason is simply not being able to earn enough for rent, utilities — the basics.
“We have not won the war on poverty,” she said. “Combine that with mental health issues, substance use, PTSD, and someone can get into a horrible situation.
“It is a trauma that can take a toll on people. We thank the community for being kind to those experiencing homelessness and reaching out to help.”
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Jefferson County Senior Reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or durbanidelapaz@peninsuladailynews.com.
