Community Supported Shelters

COMMUNITY SUPPORTER SHELTERS OFFERS TRANSITIONAL SHELTER, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND SKILL BUILDING TO UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN SAFE SPOT COMMUNITIES (ALSO KNOWN AS THE CITY OF EUGENES REST STOP PROGRAM). THESE COMMUNITIES ARE A MODEL FOR LEGAL AND SANITARY HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS. EACH CLIENT IN THE COMMUNITY RECEIVES ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT FROM A DEDICATED SERVICE TEAM: A COMMUNITY FACILITATOR HELPS THEM FIT IN A POSITIVE COMMUNITY CULTURE, SUPPORT WORKERS PROVIDE MENTORSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP, AND A SERVICE NAVIGATOR HELPS THEM DEVELOP LIFE-IMPROVEMENT PLANS AND CONNECT WITH NEEDED RESOURCES IN LANE COUNTY, OREGON.

SAFE SPOT COMMUNITY PROGRAM: FIVE NEW FULL-SIZED SAFE SPOT CAMP COMMUNITIES WERE BUILT OVER THE PAST YEAR. SAFE SPOTS INCLUDE SECURITY FENCING, A COMMONS BUILDING, KITCHEN FACILITIES, PORT-A-POTTIES, AND OTHER AMENITIES, SUPPLEMENTING UP TO TWENTY HUTS AT EACH SITE. THE NEW CONSTRUCTION ENLARGED OUR FULL AGENCY CAPACITY TO 147 HUTS IN EIGHT CAMPS, TWO MICRO-SITES, AND A FEW MINI-MICRO-SITES. CONSTRUCTION WAS FUNDED BY THE CITY OF EUGENE USING FEDERAL CARES FUNDS, DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY THE COVID CRISIS BUT WAS FURTHER EXACERBATED BY MASSIVE WILDFIRES THAT DROVE MORE PEOPLE INTO HOMELESSNESS.

OUR REBOOT HYGIENE/SHOWER STATION PROVIDES SHOWERS FOR ALL OF OUR CLIENTS UTILIZING A SHOWER TRAILER BOUGHT AND SERVICED BY A PRIVATE DONOR. SERVICE TEAM EXPANSION: THE CSS SERVICE TEAM HAS EXPANDED DRAMATICALLY, WITH A NEW SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEWER SAFE SPOT COMMUNITIES. THE NEW MODEL PROVIDES TEAMS OF COMMUNITY FACILITATORS, SUPPORT WORKERS, AND SERVICE NAVIGATORS TO COORDINATE THEIR EFFORTS. THE SERVICE TEAM HELPS CLIENTS REBUILD THEIR LIVES. ASSISTANCE INCLUDES INDIVIDUAL, ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING, COUNSELING, ADVOCACY AND REFERRAL, ASSISTANCE ARRANGING FOR MEDICAL, EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND/OR DENTAL SERVICES, HELP FINDING JOBS AND HOUSING, AND MUCH MORE. WE CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS), WHICH SHARES DATA WITH THE CITY OF EUGENE AND LANE COUNTY. PROGRAM SUCCESS: WE HAVE WELCOMED 215 CLIENTS THIS FISCAL YEAR, 49% OF WHOM TRANSITIONED TO HUD-APPROVED POSITIVE HOUSING SITUATIONS.

CONESTOGA HUT MICRO-SHELTERS: NOW OPERATING AT THE CAPACITY OF 143 HUTS IN EIGHT SAFE SPOT COMMUNITIES, TWO MICRO-SITES, AND A FEW MINI-MICRO-SITES.

OUTREACH AND CONSULTATIONS: CSS SHARES INFORMATION AND NETWORKS EXTENSIVELY WITH HOMELESS ADVOCATES AND AGENCIES IN OUR AREA, AS WELL AS WITH GROUPS ALL AROUND THE GLOBE. WE PROVIDE INFORMAL ADVICE, CONSTRUCTION HANDBOOKS AND HUT TEMPLATES, ALONG WITH FORMAL CONSULTATION SERVICES USUALLY VIA ZOOM OR SIMILAR WEB-BASED TECHNOLOGIES. OVER THE PAST YEAR WE SOLD 150 HUT MANUALS IN 39 STATES AND 3 FOREIGN LANDS. FORMAL CONSULTATIONS ABOUT OUR SHELTER MODEL HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED WITH 10 HOMELESS ADVOCACY GROUPS, RANGING FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA TO KALAMAZOO.