In August, the Verde Valley Homeless Coalition opened a new drop-in center at 14 S. Main St., in Cottonwood, with the aim of giving the homeless community of the area a place to go that could provide for their everyday needs, such as access to computers, laundromat vouchers and a mailing address.
In the hot summer, the drop-in center served as an air-conditioned place to avoid the heat.
According to VVHC Executive Director Raena Avalon, the drop-in center has served over 170 individuals in the past four months, including helping nine get jobs and eight find homes. And now, with temperatures dropping, the drop-in center faces a new challenge. On Nov. 26, the center opened its doors to overnight clients for the first time, helping to keep 11 people warm on a night that went below freezing.
“We use a 48-hour window,” Avalon said. “Forty-eight hours prior, we’ll look at the forecast. If it’s 35 or below, we’ll open that night.” The center asks those who hope to stay over night to sign-in.
“It was a good night. It was kind of cold, but everybody pitched in,” said Chantal D’Attilio, a homeless- by-choice woman who has been traveling the country for the past year with her boyfriend and has spent much of the past few months camping in the Verde Valley.
D’Attillio has occasionally gotten food and supplies from the drop-in center, and therefore volunteered to help out in coordinating the overnights. She and her boyfriend Jordan stayed up all night during the overnight stay to ensure things were handled smoothly. She said that there were no issues.
“They have those little blow mattresses, so that was really nice that they supplied those for every- body,” D’Attillio said. “They had sheets and pillows and blankets. Everything was provided for everybody. We watched movies and they had lights out at 10. Everybody was cooperative. It was a peaceful night.”
Avalon and D’Attillio praised the clientele of the drop-in center for the commitment in keeping the space clean and well-taken care of. Avalon said that by the time she arrived the next morning, every- thing had been set up for a normal day at the drop-in center.
Beyond opening its doors on cold nights, the drop-in center has sought to provide further resources to help the homeless handle the winter months. In addition to the usual requests for donations of toiletries, snacks and bottled water, the VVHC is trying to collect items that are necessary for cold weather, both for those staying at the center and especially for those who have to sleep outside — jackets, sleeping bags, hats, gloves, scarves, tarps for tents, candles, small propane tanks, insulated warm beverage mugs, warm underwear and hand warmers. Luckily, Avalon said that they are in pretty good shape when it comes to food. VVHC is also looking for additional volunteers who can help man the drop-in center in the evenings to assist in dealing with the increased demands.
“We need more overnight shelters, definitely,” said Vicky Rafferty, who has been homeless since last February. She was one of those who stayed over on Nov. 26. The drop-in center’s small space can only house 10 people in a given night, though it managed to squeeze in an extra that first night.
In addition to the VVHC shelter, Angie’s House has been providing a place to sleep year-round, and is working to help people get off the streets on cold nights. According to Angie Lozano, who runs the shelter, they have been full just about every night the past few months. In the winter, Angie’s House tries to make extra accommodations with temporary housing or partner organizations when possible, to ensure that as few people as possible are left out in the cold. But they are finding that with demand in the area increasing, there are simply not enough resources to help everyone.
“I don’t think the general public in the Cottonwood area realizes that we have homeless people here, just regular people that you see in the store and you don’t realize that they’re actually homeless,” Lozano said.
She praised the efforts of local governments and the community to help out, but believes that more awareness is needed of how severe the problem can be.
“It’s families, it’s moms and kids that don’t want to be on the street. Nobody understands that this is really happening.”
Jon Hecht can be reached at 634-8551, or email jhecht@larsonnewspapers.com
