Group calling attention to
needs of area’s homeless

By Mike Wade, New River Valley Community Services
While homelessness in the United States is significantly more predominant in urban areas, rural communities like the New River Valley are certainly not immune to the issue.

In fact, it was the death of a single, homeless man in Blacksburg during the fall of 2008 that proved to be a sad, yet effective, call to action for a local group that hopes to provide seasonal shelter for those who need and seek it.

Comprised of concerned citizens, representatives from the faith-based community and local human/social service professionals, the group has scheduled a community forum on Wednesday, April 28 in Christiansburg to discuss some of the issues surrounding homelessness. The guest speaker for the meeting will be Lynn Martin of PACEM (People and Congregations Engaging in Ministry). Martin’s organization, based in Charlottesville, has been providing shelter and support to single, homeless men for over six years.

The meeting, which begins at 2:00 p.m., will be held at Fieldstone United Methodist Church (3385 N. Franklin Street, Christiansburg).

According to Terry Smusz, one of the founding members of the local group and Executive Director of New River Community Action, organizers quickly learned in researching the issue of homelessness that there are established resources for women, children and families, but a noticeable lack of existing services for single men.

“Currently, the best option is to transport those who seek shelter to either Roanoke or Wytheville,” explained Smusz. “The work that Lynn’s group is doing in Charlottesville is one of several models that we are looking at.”

“We are very interested in PACEM because there are some obvious parallels between that group and what we are exploring.  Their primary focus is sheltering single men during the harshest winter months and they also happen to be located in an academic community with ample student volunteer resources.”

Smusz and others involved with the local group have been meeting monthly for approximately 18 months now. Already, they have produced a brochure that lists resources for shelter, food, clothing and health services, and David Vance, a local minister, has developed a website (www.ToOurHouse.org).

For those who cannot attend the meeting on April 28, suggestions and concerns can be sent to ReesRebeccaJ@ToOurHouse.org.

The group is currently meeting the fourth Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. at Fieldstone United Methodist Church in Christiansburg, one of the group’s supporting faith-based organizations. Meetings are open to all interested citizens.