By LORI PERKINS
Guest Writer

Local citizens and long-term visitors turn to the old firehouse station near Madison Street, now the Clarksville-Montgomery County’s Community Action Agency for help when they are financially burdened.

Mary Jo Lehman, programs assistant, the majority of visitors come from out of town with an invitation from a family member or friend. “Conflict causes them to become homeless,” Lemons said.

In Feb. 4, 2004, a group of 12 people formed the homeless coalition and welcomed men and women to apply for assistance whether they were homeless or had a household income that meets the poverty guidelines.

According to the federal government, a person is considered homeless if they do not have their own address, lives with friends or family or uses a motel as a place of residence.

The unemployment rate continues to increase and people are in need. July 1 through June 30, 2005, the agency helped an “unduplicated” 383 men, women and children by serving them day shelter, food, clothing, clean clothes and running water. From July 1 through Feb 4, 2010, the number has enormously increased to 1,424 “unduplicated” families.

The amount of homeless people who visit the shelter for support is high, but there are still a number of homeless people in Clarksville who are not on a “CSBG eligible entities annual client characteristics report.”

“Everyday we see five to seven new people, that’s just who comes here. We don’t even see all of the homeless people,” Lehman said.

The agency is in partnership with sponsors such as United Way, Urban Ministries and Loaves and Fishes.

“Every Thursday a church comes and cooks breakfast…we get a lot of clothes, but it’s not always the right size…It’s not always enough but if we can’t help, we send them to partners,” Lehman said.

Some applicants are disabled veterans, who receive social security, and help with food purchases. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, there are 195,827 homeless veterans in the US.

November through March, 17 churches provide space and allow 10-35 guests to sleep inside the building. The “room in the inn” is a winter shelter program where women and children, workers and disabled are served first.

“Michael,” a disabled veteran from Nashville, served in the US Army in ‘79-‘81. His previous employment history was in construction, roofing, priming and building homes. His perception about the shelter is to receive the help he can, but not take advantage of it. “I’m not trying to run it into the ground…don’t want to wear them out.”

“The economy is bad, several are working but minimum wage is not enough, there aren’t a lot of housing in Clarksville,” Lehman said. The economy is one reason for homelessness but “broken families, divorce, substance abuse, jail, alcohol, incarceration and mental illness” are a few others.

The agency doesn’t put too much focus on the bad choices the people have made, but try to make a difference in the community by “helping people changing lives.”

“We applaud them for every little thing they do to make themselves better…they all make some sort of success could be to get a job, receive alcohol and drug treatment. Even if they remain, we don’t measure success,” Lehman said.

Some of the applicants have completed high school or have received a GED.

Homeless people are often misunderstood. “They are not worthless people,” Lehman said.

“Marion,” a Clarksville native, needed help from the agency because of loss of wages. His employer cut his hours which made it harder for him to live. He doesn’t take for granted the basic necessities the shelter provides. “I come in, wash and iron my clothes.”

Enjoying conversations with each other, doing domestic chores, eating a meal or snack, recycling old cigarettes, reading and creating artwork are the activities the people do to pass time before they have to exit the building before it closes for the night.

“Steve,” a recent applicant, came from Iowa is back to Dickson, Tenn. because he lost his job where he was a factory worker making car parts. Despite the change in his personal life, he is remaining positive while he searches for a job. “You gotta keep the faith.”

The expected amount of homeless people to come to the agency for 2010 is “well over 2,000, maybe 2,400 even…I see improvement in people’s lives. In the world they would be put down for being homeless. We try to fulfill all their needs. If they’re willing to help themselves we will help them as much as we can,” Lehman said.

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