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The harsh reality of homelessness is no surprise to volunteers
Cub Scouts from Pack No. 3753 donned plastic gloves way too big for their small hands as they lined up to serve dinner to the homeless in Thousand Oaks on the opening night of the Winter Shelter program. "By being here the boys realize how fortunate they are in life," said Cubmaster Marc Milnes of Newbury Park. At 5:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 1 the doors opened at St. Julie Billiart Catholic Church in Newbury Park. As each person walked inside, Bob and Mary Watson of Newbury Park greeted them with a smile and signed them in. The two have been the intake volunteers at St. Julie's since the shelter opened there seven years ago. "We're here because it's what Christ would want us to do," Bob Watson said. Organizer Diana Ortuno, program manager at Lutheran Social Services, didn't know how many to expect for dinner. "There could be one or 50," she said. Hand sanitizer was available at the sign-in table. Nearby, sweatpants, sweatshirts, T-shirts and jackets for men, women and children were offered to anyone who needed the clothing. Donated soap, shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste were also being given away. At 6:15 p.m. volunteer Julia Alvarez of Newbury Park was warming food in pots on the stove as Barbara Sult, another volunteer, worried if the rest of the food was coming or not. Three weeks earlier a group had signed up to bring dinner as well as breakfast and lunch but got the date wrong. There were also no volunteer servers. "The Lord provides. Two women from our church came by to see if we needed help. I sent one to the grocery store to buy something we could easily fix," Sult said. Cans were opened, chili was made, and sandwiches for the next day were hurriedly put together. Those who came to have dinner ultimately helped prepare it, and they didn't mind at all, she said. Sitting at one of the seven round tables and waiting patiently for dinner were a mother with six children, several men and women with gray hair and well-worn shoes, and Bill, a man with long gray hair who looked like he could be a college professor doing research on homelessness. Bill, 54, originally from Oregon, had taken a bus from Barstow, Calif., to get to Thousand Oaks for the opening of the Winter Shelter. A dinner program is offered throughout the year, but overnight lodging is provided only from Dec. 1 to April 15. He spent the winter in Thousand Oaks last year, too, he said. "Thousand Oaks has good services. The communitysponsored meals are good, and the sleeping accommodations are fine," Bill said. What is lacking- and perhaps the reason only 80 or so homeless people were counted in Thousand Oaks compared to more than 500 in Ventura- is good public transportation. It isn't even offered on weekends, Bill noted. Bill and most of the other people seeking shelter services the following night would be hiking about six miles to Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks, he said. Each night the Winter Shelter is at a different location. At 6:20 p.m. Saturday, Anna and Richard Gaz walked into St. Julie's carrying two large boxes of food. Anna loves to help others and to cook. The couple came with spiral-cut ham with orange and raisin sauce, au gratin potatoes, mixed vegetables with garlic, and cornbread with orange butter. "I bring what I make for my own family," Anna said. The Scouts fed about 25 people. Seven spent the night, sleeping on portable foam cots that fold out on the floor. Sheets, blankets and pillows were provided. Overnighters are awakened at 6 a.m., given a continental breakfast and a sack lunch and are out by 7 a.m. Many of the same faces were seen the next night at the temple on Hillcrest Drive. Checkered cloths covered the six rectangular tables, and padded chairs were lined up in rows. Fresh-brewed coffee filled pots and hot water, tea bags, cream and sugar were provided. The carpeted room also had a large movie screen and a projector loaded with "Ace Ventura" for afterdinner viewing. A working mom, who asked to be identified as Mandy, was there with her four children for dinner only. By accepting the free dinner, she said, she would be better able to afford other necessities her children needed, such as clothes and shoes. "Kids always need something, and even with my job it's too expensive to live in Thousand Oaks," Mandy said. Bill had spent his Sunday after leaving St. Julie's walking around Thousand Oaks. He'd met friends at Denny's and had a cup of coffee with them before spending some time at The Oaks mall. For lunch he ate the chips, sandwich, apple and hard-boiled egg that was packed for him. Later he went to the Janss Marketplace for awhile and then to Temple Adat Elohim. Bill is hoping to get a room in the Los Angeles area soon. It depends on how much deposit is required. It always comes down to the deposit, he said. At the temple Bill met up with Christopher, 51, a selfdescribed outofwork professional, who said he's gone for 20 to 30 job interviews this year and wishes employers would give him and others like him a fair shake. He lost his job as an accountant about two years ago and said he needs to update his training to get a new job and needs a new job so he can afford to update his training. Christopher lives in Camarillo, where he rents a room that has no air conditioning in the summer and no heat in the winter. Last year it was so cold he got pneumonia, he said. He drives to Thousand Oaks just for the meal program. He said the Sunday night dinners are always good, but some of the churches that provide dinner don't do as well. Temple shelter coordinator Laura Klausner was glad to hear their dinners got high marks. "We are going to try and go above and beyond," she said. In the future they hope to have volunteers offering haircuts and other services to those who come on Sunday nights, she said.
Conejo Valley Winter Shelter is open until April 15. Following is a list of participants. |
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