This story was reported for San Diego News Network on November 17, 2009.
Saturated in low clouds and chilly weather, members of the community gathered together Tuesday night in San Diego’s East Village to “Embrace the Streets.”
Led by non-profit organization EMBRACE and SDSU, about 75 volunteers passed out blankets and bagged lunches to those who’ve made the streets their home.
“Today is the only day that matters,” said EMBRACE CEO Sean Sheppard. “I have taken it upon myself, and my organization, to help people today.”
Tuesday night’s gathering concluded a week-long drive throughout the city to collect as many donations as possible. The event began at The Rock Church on Nov. 1, went on to SDSU on Nov. 2 and ended on Nov. 7. By the end of the seven days, the groups collected 200 total blankets (74 new, 126 used), 198 bed sheets , 200 bagged lunches, 29 pairs of unused shoes, about 150 pillow cases and approximately 400 pounds of nonperishable food.
Sheppard, who has passed out goods to San Diego’s homeless for years, opted to hold this event this year with the emphasis on blankets because of an encounter he had last winter.
“I feed the homeless on a regular basis,” Sheppard said. “Last year though, the homeless started asking me ‘did I have a blanket.’ I said, ‘No, but I can get one.”
Sheppard then began asking friends and family members for blanket donations and this winter, decided to “mobilize college students and other young people” in lending some helping hands. Aside from the drive, EMBRACE also hosts nearly 200 homeless people for dinner twice a week. Its goal though, said Sheppard, is to provide seven meals a day for nearly 50,000 people each year.
Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego) and his staff also participated in the event with the elected official pushing carts and personally handing out blankets to homeless people.
“This is a chance for us to embrace San Diego,” Fletcher said. “It’s very sad we have to hand out blankets but we must do what we can.”
One homeless person who benefited from the drive was Denton, who did not want to reveal his last name.
A long-time San Diego resident, Denton, lost his job and house over a year ago and found himself living in San Diego’s downtown areas.
Denton, who waited in East Village for his chance for clothing, said he found out about the donations at a local homeless shelter.
“I just need clothes,” he said. “I don’t need a blanket – I came for clothes.”
Denton is one of 4,014 homeless people on the streets of San Diego, according to a survey compiled by the Regional Task Force on the Homeless. Additionally, 965 were found in emergency shelters and 2,913 were in transitional housing.
A sample size of 300 for those living on the streets of San Diego show 21 percent are veterans, 29 percent have a mental illness, 41 percent are substance abusers, 10 percent are domestic violence victims and 3 percent test positive for AIDS.
The Task Force reported that they reasons for homelessness vary. Some reasons include:
– lack of affordable housing
– low-paying jobs, labor market changes
– unemployment
– mental illness
– addiction disorders
– changes and cuts in public assistance
– lack of access to affordable health care
– lack of education
Sheppard’s goal on Tuesday was two-fold – to help the distressing number of homeless San Diegans and to encourage young people to get involved in the assistance effort. Nineteen-year-old Fabian Salgado got on board just a couple of days ago.
“Not everyone gets the opportunity to sleep in a warm bed,” he said. “But we’re giving them blankets. Yes, it’s not the same thing but it’s something that we can do tonight.”
For more information about EMBRACE, visit its Web site.
Hoa Quach is the political editor for the San Diego News Network.