Homeless Winter Sanctuary Returns for Sixth Year

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Since 2017 the homeless in Citrus Heights have been offered the opportunity to enjoy a brief respite from their living situation each winter.  For nine weeks, or 63 nights, eight churches in four cities are coming together on a rotating schedule to provide respite each night for 16 to 21 homeless men and women at their location. There are four weeks remaining this year.

Before being transported to the host church each evening, guests arrive at the intake venue, Messiah Lutheran at 5:00 p.m. HART volunteers conduct nightly registration and screening of new guests and sign-in for continuing guests. Bicycles and other gear are stored in a locked container at the registration site. Guests relax with a cup of coffee or cocoa and a snack while Gabby Yost, the homeless navigator works with those who would like to take advantage of the many resources available to help them navigate the homeless life, including housing information, bus passes and vouchers to obtain a driver’s license or photo ID card. The hope is they will eventually work to get back into the community with a job and a place to live. In the words of Deacon Mark Holt at Holy Family Catholic Church, the ultimate goal of this program is to “meet the homeless where they are, to give them a hand up, (rather than a hand out) and help them become self-sufficient citizens of Citrus Heights.”  Holt was involved in the formation of the winter sanctuary.

At 6 p.m. a van owned and run by ‘The Way Ministries’ along with private drivers then transport guests to the host church for the night. Upon arrival guests receive a hot homemade meal prepared by volunteers, a safe warm place to sleep with a cot and sleeping bag, clean clothing and other personal items. After the meal, many guests retreat to their cot and sleeping bag for some quiet time in their own space. Men and women are housed separately and there is security throughout the evening. At 6:00 a.m. guests are awakened and given a bag breakfast with a simple meal and a fan favorite: socks! At 7 a.m. they are returned to Messiah to retrieve their stored belongings and be on their way until 5:00 that night when they may return again.

On the Wednesday of week 4 at the Divine Savior Catholic Church the Orangevale Rotary had spent hours creating a meal to remember for their guests who were treated like royalty from the personalized placemats to the meals for which many came back for seconds. The food bank provided the food for a meal of shredded pork, simmered for four hours, mashed potatoes and well-cooked onions and string beans, which meant even those with few or no teeth could have a healthy meal of meat, protein and a starch. All applauded the homemade brownies by John!

Jay Kays a guest who is following that path to self-sufficiency has been homeless for 2 ½ years. This is his third year at the shelter program. He is proud that after relapsing the HART program is helping him with his rehabilitation. Working with the navigator, he says, he is anxious to work his way back into the workforce when the economy turns around, and he is looking forward to better days. Meanwhile he visits the food closet on his bike and shares what he gets with others when he can. He has a place to stay in the park and cleans up the areas after others who are not as respectful of their surroundings. Because of COVID, many of the closed restaurants outside their entrances are becoming overcome with trash. He says despite the lack of adequate trash cans, he and his buddies do what they can to keep those areas in shopping strips clean. The police know them and appreciate their work.

A fairly new resource since 2020 is the portable showers provided by Mercy Holistic Ministry. They have provided their service at different sites in Sacramento County. Pastor Berhanu Kumalo founder of the program, has seen how something we take for granted like a simple shower can restore one’s dignity. “When a person takes a shower (after not having one for so long), he feels human again.”   Each guest receives a towel for their shower and clean underwear and clothing to take with them. Socks are a popular item and are always needed. Every Tuesday for the next four weeks they will be at Messiah Lutheran from 1:30 to 6 p.m. and every Wednesday they are at the host church from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

If you can help with any resources, please contact Citrus Heights HART through our Citrus Heights HART web site at http://www.citrusheightshart.org/