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Friday, 21 October 2016

Helping Bullhead City's Homeless

Written by
Susan Harris, Darrel Reynolds, and Patricia Jacques Susan Harris, Darrel Reynolds, and Patricia Jacques

In response to community need, Catholic Charities has created a solution to ensure that the homeless are being fed and receiving critical services daily.

Catholic Charities homeless services in Bullhead City has been a bridge to unite surrounding agencies that feed the homeless, such as Faith Feeders, by meeting and communicating about food service days that over lap and gaps of days that the homeless were not being fed. “By meeting with other agencies we can make sure that people don’t have to wait days for their next meal,” says Rick Brust, Catholic Charities homeless outreach manager.

Life Changing Services

“The homeless services that Catholic Charities provide in Bullhead City can change someone’s life in just one afternoon. Simple kindness expressed by staff and volunteers can go a long way toward encouraging someone who is stuck in a desolate place,” says Susan Harris, homeless outreach specialist.

In addition this past summer, Catholic Charities and partnering agencies run the River Cities Resource Center in Bullhead City (2135 Hwy 95), giving the homeless a place to stay out of the extreme heat that sometimes reaches over 120 degrees. The center is a place to get in touch with social services and resources, a place to get clothing, hygiene kits, food, water, supplies, and other services regarding housing, treatment, employment, and benefit options. “Working together, we ensure that the homeless always have access to basic needs and the opportunity to start a path towards self-sufficiency,” continues Brust.

Community Partners Make it Possible

“We are the go to people when it comes to homelessness,” says Patricia Jacques, outreach support specialist. She notes that other organizations such as the City of Bullhead, Hope United Methodist, Unity Church, Church Without Walls, the Bullhead City Rotary, Rotaract (youth rotary) and others, have made such great strides possible. “This truly is a community project of caring with Catholic Charities taking the lead,” says Jacques.

Catholic Charities homeless services targets adult homeless individuals, especially those suffering from mental illness, to provide support and basic supplies and to connect them to other available social services.  The Bullhead City location is one of four Catholic Charities sites in three counties that provide outreach and services to homeless people in northern Arizona.

For more information about the new Bullhead City Catholic Charities homeless service, operations at the River Cities Resource Center or to get involved as a volunteer, please contact Darrel Reynolds at 928-778-2531 extension 54023 and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

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