October 2, 2024

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Our guest speaker was Terry Gacula, a case manager from Avita Community Partners.  She helps clients with life skills and addiction issues.  Avita has several offices in Northeast Georgia, including Hartwell, Toccoa, Demorest, Gainesville, and Clayton.  Terry has a degree in forensic psychology.  She lived in Hartwell about 15 years ago, moved away for a short time, and moved back 8 years ago after experiencing some housing issues herself.  She and Father Reid met at a recent Poverty Task Force meeting.  The task force is a gathering of local organizations addressing poverty, homelessness, and related issues.  The task force meets once a month at the Continuing Education building and all are welcome to attend the meetings.  The next meetings are October 29 and November 19.

 

Terry shared a great deal of valuable information with us.  For example, there are really no resources for the homeless in Hart County.  Free and low cost campsites are the only places where the homeless can go.  Recently, Terry and Reid worked together to find temporary housing for a homeless young man; not an easy task.  Current information indicates there are about 40 homeless people accounted for, however, Terry feels the real number is closer to 70 as many people hide their housing status.  Homelessness is multi-layered: some people are outdoors on the ground, some are "couch surfers", and some people live in substandard housing.  There are four types of homelessness, but 2 were highlighted and discussed in our Oct 2nd session: transitional and chronic.  Some make tents out of trees, some have sleeping bags on the ground.  It is considered lucky for people who are sleeping in their cars as they have transportation.  Terry conducts life skills classes and many of her clients are older adults who did not complete their education and have few resources or options available to them.

 

Of the 40 people accounted for, it is not known how many are adults and how many are children.  People are referred to Avita after hospital discharges, commonly folowing suicide attempts and drug overdoses, among other situations and events.  Terry has one group of adults (7 people aged 40 to 60 years old) and one for children (3 people.)  Terry assists everyone in applying for low income housing.  There are local churches that help with the application fee.  This is a daunting exercise for most clients as the Housing Authority application is 25 pages long, and Juniper Court is 12 pages long.  Low income housing is for people 55 or older and only one portion is for families.

 

One of our parishioners reported that developers get tax credits for renting at or below market rates.  Juniper Court and Chandler Trace are two and another development is coming on Ridge Road.  There will be about 60 units and it will be for families.  In this case, the developer will maintain ownership of the units and the employees of the developer will live there, with the expectation that the units will be maintained properly.  These will be townhomes, and construction is expected to begin in about 18 months.

 

During our discussion, Father Reid asked us to always remember our earlier questions and ponder them:  When do you remember seeing homelessness in Hart County?  What made you think you saw a homeless person?  How did you respond?  What made you respond that way?

 

Terry reminded us that although people who are not homeless many times feel victimized by the homeless, however, it is the homeless who are the real victims.  Also, most people pretend they don't see the homeless, and one never knows if people are on the verge of homelessness.  In most cases, housing insecure people will appreciate someone asking them if they are okay (i.e., showing empathy.)  In the case of domestic violence when someone runs and hides, they are very often afraid their spouse or partner will take their kids.  They hide for fear the family will be separated.  

 

Transportation is identified as an issue.  Father Reid shared a story of being approached by a woman in the Ingles parking lot.  The woman did not speak much English and his understanding of giving her a short ride turned out to be a trip to Bowman.  But keep in mind, you might be someone's angel when you encounter a homeless person.  Something as simple as providing someone with a shower can lead to a job.  Cleanstart is one place where people can get mail, a shower and their clothes cleaned.  Hartwell has talked about having a service like this.  The HIM Ministry has money for washing machines and showers, but there is not a location and building to get this done.  We were told there is a location in Lavonia that does provide showers; and Terry sends people to truck stops in locations without Cleanstart like services.

 

We asked about the homeless and disability insurance.  How about Social Security?  Social Security is done via direct deposit and the homeless can get free phones and use a cash app through some banks.  Part of Terry's services involves helping to file for benefits.  Rental assistance ended with Covid relief.  Disability is $964 a month for most people.  (For extenuating circumstances, it can be as high as $1300 to $1500.)  The State of Georgia is realizing that housing vouchers are not working and they are going to start giving cash to landlords.  The laws pertaining to housing insecurity are changing rapidly for food stamps, insurance, etc.  Basically, if you do not have a child or extenuating circumstances, you cannot get benefits.  When this initial stepping stone is missing, it is very difficult to move past homelessness.

 

We discussed the idea of using a local library for taking college courses online.  We were also told of a situation where one person hid in an attic while attending college and the family was unaware of him being there.  Transitional shelters would be important if you had no fulltime shelter.  Bigger cities have organizations with gyms, etc.  Most organizations are focused on addiction and cater to men (e.g., Winder, Athens, Gainesville, Toccoa.)  There are restrictions in place too, for example, many will not let male teenagers near homeless women and children creating an additional challenge.  For us in Hart County, transitional housing means putting someone up for a night at Quality Inn.  That is for a night.  People then go from place to place, searching for a person or organization to provide $60 so a motel room can be accessed over and over. One night at a time is not a solution.

 

Many of the homeless have mental or psychological issues and Avita has therapists that work with these people and the issues.  It is recognized that so many people have something, be it OCD, depression, AHAD, PTSD, etc.  We were told there are more options for teens, i.e., boarding schools and camps.  Avita's primary focus is mental health, employment, and volunteering.  Many of their clients suffer from an intellectual disability in that they never received education in 'problem solving'.   

 

The question was raised regarding trade schools that could build shelters and get credit for doing so, however nothing like this is being done.  We also talked about a basic definition of homelessness - you live where you cannot have mail delivered to you, i.e., no street address.  We have heard some towns allow the homeless to have PO boxes, but that is not the case in Hart County.  Also, homeless people have to have an address in order to register to vote.

 

South Carolina has campsites for $14 a day and you can park a car.  There are some free campsites.  Some offer only daytime camping.  Some places allow you to sleep in your car.  Some homeless people have no money.  If you have an email address, you can get supplies, benefits, etc., but many do not always understand the Internet.

 

It is our belief that a lot more can be done to help people in Hart County.  That is why St. Andrew's decided to explore, discover, and learn about this topic,  We are searching for what we can do.  We have just begun this journey, and we ask for your prayers for us to have the endurance and discipline to continue this quest.

 

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Recommendation: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls is a good book about homelessness.

 

September 25, 2024

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St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is doing a yearlong study of housing insecurity.  We have started this endeavor with our Fall Bible Study/Christian Formation series entitled "The Son of Man Has Nowhere To Lay His Head.  What Shall We Do About That?" 

 

In our first session, we had multiple questions (see below.)  In Session two (March 25), we turned to the bible for a comparison between the homeless of Hartwell and the homelessness that Jesus experienced as he traveled from town to town.  So... why did Jesus have no place to lay his head?  Herod believed Jesus to be John the Baptist resurrected... and as Herod had been responsible for John's beheading, Jesus had to be one step ahead of the law. The homeless of Hart County are often viewed as outlaws, but as a vulnerable population, should we define them more as people who have become untethered from society or only fallen on hard times?  Are there other more complex issues?  Several Bible verses were discussed on this topic.

 

Proverbs 29:7  The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern; and Deuteronomy 15:11  For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying "You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land."

 

The Bible depicts Jesus as a man of action.  He walked from town to town, choosing neither the wilderness nor Jerusalem to teach, to reach out to the poor.  Hart County has many agencies and nonprofits who are working to alleviate the problems associated with homelessness.  They are continuing the work of Jesus.  How might we help them?  How might we become people of action? St. Andrew's Episcopal Church thanks every outreach group for seeing the life of Christ in the faces of the less fortunate.  

 

Proverbs 19:15  Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and he will reward them for what they have done. 

 

September 18, 2024

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​St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church began a yearlong study of housing insecurity or homelessness in Hart County.  Our goal is to identify causes, complications, characteristics, etc. in order to educate our members, visitors and guests on the issues that contribute to homelessness.  Our Priest, Rev. Reid Hamilton, is leading us for the first six weeks in a Bible Study/Christian Formation series focused on housing insecurity and scripture:

                 

                                 "The Son of Man Has Nowhere to Lay His Head.  What Shall We Do About That?”

 

We met on September 18th and were asked to come up with questions… no answers!  St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church shares our questions and invites you all to participate with us as we go through our series.  

 

1. What scripture can we point to for our duty to the homeless?

2. What are their greatest needs? 

3. What are the causes of housing insecurities? 

4. What are we doing for the homeless in Hart County?

5. What is homelessness like in the city versus the county?  

6. What are the demographics here?

7. Are there biases based on demographic categories?   

8. What levels of homelessness are there?  

9. What can WE do to help?

10. Where are the homeless people staying? 

11. How many are affected by homelessness in Hart County? 

12. How does housing insecurity pass generationally? 

13. How are law enforcement agencies and other agencies interacting with the homeless? 

14. How do we identify the working poor and those on the verge of homelessness? 

15. How is homelessness affected by societal complacency? 

16. What is homelessness like in the city versus the county?

17. Are inexpensive rental properties in good/livable conditions? 

18. Are there any organizations directly providing services to the homeless?   

19. Are encampments safe for residents and or/others?

20. Why did Jesus not have a place to lay his head?  

21. Are there warming stations?  And what is a warming station?

22. Do homeless people get benefits (SSI, SSD, VA, etc.)?

23. What needs are required or what criteria must be satisfied to qualify for aid?  Or in order to aid the homeless?

24. Do some people want to be homeless?

25. Is St. Andrew's seeking to serve a certain number of people?

26. Are the hungry of Hartwell/Hart County being fed?

27. What are the demographics (racial and other) of homelessness?

28. Are the homeless registered voters?

29. How many of our homeless have mental illnesses?

30. What can we do to aid the homeless?

31. Are local businesses/industry helping the homeless?

32. Are there stigmas associated with homelessness?

33. Is any public or private assistance now available dependent upon documentation showing residence in Hart County/Hartwell (or showing residence anywhere), and if so, are people without homes able to provide such documentation? Does one have to supply a copy of a utility bill addressed to oneself to prove residence? Can you get a driver's license or Georgia ID equivalent using an address where a tent is pitched on public land or near a public or commercial building?  

34. Are any of the people without homes in Hart County/Hartwell "substance abusers", and if so, does lack of sobriety and/or history of past substance abuse bar them as matter of a rule or of practical consequence from receiving certain kinds of public or private assistance?

35. Are any of the people without homes in Hart County/Hartwell undocumented aliens and if so, does this bar them as a matter of rule or of practical consequence from seeking or receiving certain kinds of public or private assistance?

36. Do governmental authorities in Hart County /Hartwell consider people living in tents or sleeping in the open outside on land they do not own or rent "homeless"- or are they "urban campers" or something else? If not considered "homeless", does this bar them from receiving certain  kinds of public assistance?

37. If there is no shower or bathtub where one lives in Hart County/Hartwell is there any public or private place to go to get clean?​

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We are also asking ourselves questions such as:

• Have you seen homelessness in Hart County?

• What made you think so?

• What was your reaction?

• Why did you respond as you did?

 

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