Community creates shelter for the homeless

The above statement by Sharon Frank ushers in the news that a homeless shelter in Borderland is now a reality. “Servants of Shelter” or “SOS” will be implemented as a one-year pilot project operating locally at three rotating sites.

Beginning Nov. 2, the location of the shelter will alternate among the Faith United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Covenant Church and the Kootasca complex, on a Monday to Monday schedule.

A task force of 11 people was formed following an impressive community response to the need for a local shelter, according to Frank, housing and asset manager for Kootasca Community Action and member of the task force.

But the shelter will initially require dozens of community volunteers to make it function, according to Pat Bjorum, pastoral associate at St. Thomas Aquinas Church and coordinator for the task force.

With strong support from several local churches, the pilot project is expected to establish a record of information that will be needed for grant applications in the future.

Less than a year ago, after interviews with Frank and LeeAnn Meer of Friends Against Abuse, The Daily Journal reported (Nov. 12, 2008) on Koochiching County’s “invisible problem” — a growing number of the area’s homeless who don’t fit the urban stereotypes. The county has more than its share of families living in poverty according to statistics from the rest of the state. While not living on sidewalks or in cardboard shanties under a bridge, there are those in Borderland for whom the basic human needs determined as necessary for survival (Maslow’s Hierarchy) are unmet.

Some of them are sleeping in cars, in tents in the woods, in hunting shacks or in abandoned mobile homes without utilities, according to Frank. But many more are “couch hopping” from relative to relative, friend to friend, or here to there at compassionate organizations.

Most at risk of becoming homeless are those living in poverty. And single mothers with children are the fastest-growing segment of the population living in the poverty range.

Homeless children suffer increased physical illness, and bear the lasting psychological scars of having no place to call home.

Borderland’s homeless are comprised of a range of people living in vulnerable and fragile contexts — the abused, the mentally ill, the physically ill, the underemployed and the unemployed, and the chemically dependent.

Working to solve poverty issues will continue, but now local agencies who in the past could only offer limited respite, will have a shelter in which many problems and needs can be assessed.

Jutta Goetz of Bemidji (formerly of the Falls) read The Journal story and contacted Frank offering ideas for workable shelter models. “You can do this,” she reportedly told her.

Frank brought the ideas, which are based on the existing “Grace House” in Grand Rapids, Bemidji’s SOS, and a national model, to the Housing Issues Advisory Committee. She then contacted Bjorum and a few other local people.

The result was several community meetings, some of them with 50 people in attendance. The formation of the task force was necessary to focus goals in the project. “But it’s been fabulous,” Frank said. “These people are absolutely committed.”

Frank reports that she went looking for bed pillows and also found service offered by a nurse. Recently delivered were 30 quilts from a church, and “two totes of bed sheets” for the inflatable mattresses that will be donated by the Falls Rotary Club. And Holy Episcopal Trinity Church has chosen the project to be the recipient of its annual fall fund-raiser dinner.

Both Bjorum and Karen Warren-Severson, another task force member, expressed pride and wonder for the community sentiment that’s been shown at organizational meetings held since February.

“I think we call it ‘striking a chord,’”Warren-Severson said. “I find it so hugely gratifying. This is about opening our arms and caring about people who are falling through the cracks.”

Bjorum concurred. “It’s one of the more exciting projects I’ve worked on because of the unity.” She added that she has long been aware of the area’s homeless because they often seek help at St. Thomas.

“One of the first homeless couples I met was in summertime, living in a tent on river’s side,” Bjorum said. In other instances, people are seen coming and going from their parked cars. Others come to local churches when their heat has been shut off due to nonpayment of utility bills.

Some have come north because they heard that Canada has bountiful social programs. They come to the border even believing they can swim across the river for help, Bjorum recalls. Some, desperate, told Bjorum they “followed the steeple.”

“So many of them have mental health or chemical dependency issues,” Bjorum explained. They just end up in the doorway at the end of the day because there’s nowhere to go.”

Two trends largely responsible for the rise in homelessness are the growing shortage of affordable rental housing for low-income people; and the simultaneous increase in poverty.

With an increasing number of recently new homeless reportedly coming from a broader range of economic statuses, many find themselves in this situation for the first time.

A lot of people may be closer to poverty than they think, according to those already using shelters. A single catastrophe or crisis can make a dramatic difference in income — or wipe out finances overnight. For people living in the margins, being homeless might be just a paycheck or a lab result away.

“It just takes one or two unexpected events, and they could be out here with us,” said one homeless man, according to the “Press Democrat.”

Warren-Severson, psychotherapist and clinical counselor, said she hopes that people will take the time to learn the reasons for homelessness, and leave the blame aside.

“What we are called to do as compassionate people is to see what’s underneath,” Warren-Severson said. “Our fears underlie our bigotry.” She also stressed that while the new shelter model is faith-based, she and many others on the task force are conscious of the vulnerable condition of those who are homeless.

“This is not about proselytizing and we do not want to exploit anyone in any way,” she stated.

The task force plans to reach those in need through postings at the local food shelf, the St. Thomas Community Clothes Closet, local churches, the Kootasca office and social services as well as through a network of people once the shelter is underway.

There are many things to consider. Hosting, meals, laundry, transportation and site transfers will require dozens of volunteers and coordinators. The assessment of needs, law enforcement, chemical dependency issues, and rule adherence are all in the scope of the project.

“The donation of time is what we need the most,” Bjorum said. “After things settle, we may need less people. But we’ll likely have less people when the ‘snowbirds’ leave — they are wonderful people and will help us get off the ground.”

“Just serving the task force has been enormously time-consuming,” Bjorum continued. “We all work, but we all leave meetings feeling even more energized — with vigor. ... Even those with complaints have been a great asset with their valid concerns ...”

Warren-Severson marveled, “There has never been a moment when some person on the task force did not believe that this was going to happen. It’s tricky, but there’s good energy and these are good and courageous folks.”

A 5 p.m. meeting for interested volunteers is scheduled Tuesday in Room H118 at Rainy River Community College. A light supper will be served.

Bjorum articulated her thoughts on why the community has shown “a real heart” for the project.

“We live in a place with really cold weather,” she said. “We hate to go out to our cars let alone have nowhere to go. This community will help anytime there’s a chance to really touch people’s lives — if it has to do with food or warmth, and real people, not a fund.

“Part of it is self-serving, it makes us feel good. But good things are done even if they’re for ourselves.

“We’re all believers in some sense ... seeds have been planted. In my church, we call that “God” but not everybody does. Yet it’s the same yearning.”

Servants of Shelter Task Force Members:

Barb Albert

Pat Bjorum

Sharon Frank

Tom Iffert

Sherrie Lessard

Lori Lyman

LeeAnn Meer

Amy Mortenson

Jennifer Stevens

Karen Warren-Severson

Diane Windsnes

~ SOS Mission Statement ~

“Servants of Shelter is a community-based, ecumenically embraced program committed to upholding the dignity and respect of homeless persons by providing the basic needs of companionship, food, and temporary shelter.”

If You Go:

• Informational meeting for individuals or groups interested in volunteering services to the new community homeless shelter in International Falls.

• 5 p.m. Tuesday, Room H118 at Rainy River Community College

• A light supper will be served. Reservations (not required) made by calling Sharon Frank at Kootasca, 283-5225, would be appreciated.

• Also: Holy Trinity Episcopal Church has designated the proceeds of its annual autumn dinner, with live music, to the new homeless shelter. The public is invited to the fund raiser with the band Sloughgrass performing.

Dinner: 5:45-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 24, at Holy Trinity.

Tickets are available at City Drug, The Coffee Landing and Super One’s Espresso Lane in International Falls. Holy Trinity can be reached at 283-8606 from 2:30-4:30 p.m.