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Local homeless advocacy group Solidarity Not Charity is gearing up for the winter.
The group, formed in 2008, can most often be seen sharing a meal with those in need every Saturday in Whitman Park in Grand Junction. On winter nights when the temperature drops below 20 degrees or heavy weather moves in, the group heads out with another kind of support.
“It started as a reaction to deaths on the streets,” said Mallory Rice, an organizer with the group.
On cold winter nights, volunteers hit the streets with packs strapped with a first-aid kit, blankets, instant meals, Thermoses of coffee, hand warmers, warm clothes, and socks. The group is wholly volunteer-run, and all of their materials, like food and blankets, are donated.
“We wanted to stop what we saw as a crisis,” Rice said.
The night patrols started in the winter of 2008-09.
“We lost around 16 people to the cold,” volunteer Roger Stover said. “Since then, the number has gone down to a small few, but even one loss is unacceptable in our community.”
On night patrols, the group focuses on individuals in the city that may need emergency aid on cold nights. They follow a route through downtown and riverside areas that are common spots for the homeless to sleep.
“It’s generally for anyone who’s too drunk,” member and organizer Comfrey Jacobs said.
When night patrols find someone out in the cold, things start with a cup of coffee.
“It’s a friendly exchange and way to make contact, with something warm to drink,” Jacobs said. After that, “it’s on a case-by-case basis.”
A fresh, dry pair of socks could make a world of difference to someone out in the cold. Jacobs told a story about finding a man behind a dumpster downtown with frostbite on his foot. When night patrols come across a situation like that, they call an ambulance.
From light aid to a trip to the ER, volunteers have a variety of methods to help individuals. Aside from being drunk, Jacobs said patrols often come across people who are delusional and sometimes even schizophrenic. All these factors play a role in opening someone up to the biggest danger — hypothermia.
“(They) gotta get warm somehow,” Stover said.
Volunteers will contact the Veteran’s Hospital if they encounter a veteran on the streets and take highly intoxicated people to a detox facility.
“They’re not always homeless people,” Jacobs said.
The group aims to help anyone out in the cold. Jacobs talked about finding a man who wasn’t homeless but had way too much to drink at the bar. Helping him was as simple as calling a cab.
Volunteers will also make a pass by the Greyhound station downtown, which closes for a few hours each night, sometimes leaving travelers to wait outside of the station.
Rice says that the program has dramatically reduced the number of deaths on the streets in recent winters. The group has also got Grand Junction police officers on patrol in the winter to carry blankets in their cars, in case they come across anyone who may be cold.
The group is currently seeking volunteers and donations. They share a meal with those who need it every Saturday at 4 p.m. during the winter in Whitman Park, where they also accept donations and hold a warm-clothes exchange. When forecasts show the possibility of dangerously cold weather, organizers will call volunteers and get a list going of who is available for night patrols.
The group is also holding a silent auction and raffle fundraiser sponsored by Grand Valley Peace and Justice from Dec. 15-20 at the Mesa County Library and at the Center for Independence at 740 Gunnison Ave. at 6 p.m. the night of Dec. 20, where winners will be announced. All funds will go directly to support those in need.
For more information about the auction, raffle, or to get involved with night patrols and helping to feed those in need, visit www.solidaritynotcharity.net or call organizer Mallory Rice at (970) 778-5965.
ealinko@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
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