Community partners launch ‘Home for the Night’ project
Several local organizations have joined together, including the City of Bartlesville, to help unsheltered individuals and families keep warm during extreme bouts of cold temperatures this winter.
A task force has been assembled to coordinate the project, “Home for the Night,” which was created by community leaders Senior Minister Rev. Kelley Becker of Disciples Christian Church, Bartlesville Regional United Way CEO/President Lisa Cary, and Ray of Hope Advocacy Center Executive Director Rhonda Hudson.
The project aims to put in place a plan to provide temporary shelter in the event of a weather emergency, such as extreme cold, much like the winter storm experienced in Bartlesville last February. The task force also hopes to participate in a point-in-time count of people who are sleeping outside, to be conducted by the Northeast Oklahoma Continuum of Care coalition.
“We hope, once the plan is complete, it can be activated any time it is needed and each organization that has a role will know exactly what to do,” Becker told City Beat last week. “Once the plan is finalized and the count is conducted, the work of this task force is finished. Of course, we will work together any time we need to activate the plan, and some of us may choose to keep working together for a more permanent solution to some of the challenges people who are unsheltered face.”
The Washington County Fairgrounds will serve as a primary shelter, while Disciples Christian Church will be used in some cases, Becker said. Transportation to the shelters will be provided by the Bartlesville Police Department, and assistance will be provided when possible by the City of Bartlesville’s public transit system, CityRide.
“The Bartlesville Police Department is honored to be part of this tremendous outreach,” said Police Chief Tracy Roles. “These efforts are just another example of the compassion and the true caring nature of our community — another example of the greatness of Bartlesville.”
The task force will activate the plan when temperatures drop severely for an extended period of time, Becker said.
“Right now, since we are dealing primarily with winter weather, the only metric we have set for whether or not to open shelter is 15 degrees or below for 48 hours or more,” she said. “This threshold was chosen because, based on past experience, people who live outside don’t generally want to make another choice until the weather is just simply too dangerous to be where they are. Obviously, if wind or precipitation are factors, we will make adjustments.”
BPD officers will carry blankets in their patrol cars to give out to people who need them, Becker said.
“We also have a stash of them at Mary Martha Outreach,” she said. “And Walmart gave us a grant which will be used to purchase gloves and hats. Those will be given to the BPD and the Bartlesville Public Library to hand out.”
In addition to community organizations partnering to launch the Home for the Night program, individual volunteers will be needed to make the plan work, Becker said. Volunteers must complete a two-hour training module in advance, which is based on Red Cross disaster preparedness. In addition, all volunteers will undergo a background check, which can be completed by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, 611 S.E. Adams Blvd. Sign-up forms for volunteers, as well as more information about the training and background checks, will be posted on the Home for the Night Facebook page soon.
In addition to asking community organizations and individuals to sign up to make meals, Mary Martha Outreach will be helping with meal supplies. Task force members are in the process of working with another local non-profit organization, Agape Mission, regarding the possible addition of lunch provisions as well. Meals will be posted on the Home for the Night Facebook page when the plan is activated.
“The best part about this task force, aside from the real help it will provide to people who are suffering, has been leaders in the community working together to think outside the box,” Becker said. “I am grateful to all of the organizations represented and to Lisa and Rhonda for their leadership. We hope in the days and weeks to come, as details continue to be finalized, the community will rally around this project by getting trained as volunteers, donating money (through the Bartlesville Foundation), and preparing to volunteer and provide meals when needed.”
Cary said the program is a practical approach to a very real problem.
“With the formation of the Home for the Night Task Force, we’re looking to meet a challenge in our community with a practical and collaborative approach,” Cary said. “In addition, I think this approach will allow us to not only make an immediate impact but also one that is sustainable. We have a lot of good, smart and community-minded people here in Bartlesville, and we look forward to working with them so we can best help those in need.
“While we absolutely want to make an immediate impact when it comes to helping those who have been affected by homelessness, we also want to help put a process in place which allows us to best meet the challenge going forward. That’s why the Home for the Night Task Force will look to put a process in place which is sustainable. While the issue of homelessness is obviously complicated and impacts communities throughout the world, I’m proud that we are gathering a group of people who are willing to meet the challenge head on. I look forward to working with our Home for the Night Task Force to see exactly what we can accomplish for the betterment of Bartlesville.”
To volunteer or for more information, visit the Home for the Night Facebook page.