I have a lot of compassion for homeless people. I am a special education teacher and have previously worked with disabled adults. I believe that many people who are homeless have disabilities and that it limits their ability to take care of themselves, find employment, and have the motivation to improve their situation. I also have struggled with addiction and I know of many people who have fallen into homelessness because of it and how quickly it can destroy everything in one’s life. Many people think of homelessness as people who refuse to work, are willful drug addicts, and are lazy – I do not.
The 2023 Point In Time census conducted by Love Abounds Here found 58 homeless people living in Yelm, Rainier, Roy or McKenna. 73% of all of the respondents lived on the streets a year or longer. Here is what they listed as the cause: eviction 26%, family rejection 22%, job loss 21%, 19% domestic violence, and behavioral issues 12%. Also: 1 in 5 deal with PTSD, 1 in 6 have mental health issues, 1 in 8 have physical disabilities, and 1 in 6 have chronic health problems.
We need to collaborate with our State Reps (Rep. Barkis and Rep. Wilcox) and our State Senator (Sen. McCune). Yelm is no longer a small town and we should have a strong voice in what Washington State does with our taxes. There are many programs and grants related to homelessness at a state/county level and we have amazing local service organiations that can help more with more funding. I believe that there is money left at the table and that the city could do a better job writing and qualilying for grants. I am interested in doing some research on whether or not a full time grant writer would be worth the cost.
The Yelm City Council created a homeless committee this year to coordinate city resources with other organizations. Yelm needs to avoid future encampments, so the committee should find resources to provide temporary shelter, or transportation to cities with adequate shelters and resources.