The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness, is working hard to provide critical resources for the homeless population amid the pandemic.
The OCPEH is a coalition of service providers, local governments, and community members — a group working together towards the goal of ending homelessness in Orange County.
The partnership has been around for 12 years and is funded through an inter-local agreement between Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough and Orange County.
During this difficult time, Corey Root — Homeless Programs Coordinator for OCPEH — says the partnership is trying to get ahead of the curve as much as they possibly can to prepare for months down the road when the homelessness and housing crisis might look much worse.
“Many, many, many of us are one – or not many – paychecks away from being in a real housing crisis,” Root said.
This preparation means instituting many new programs and procedures and finding ways to keep the homeless population safe amid a national health crisis.
While the biggest need for those experiencing homelessness will always be housing, during the pandemic, Root said the partnership is working to assist in other ways as well.
“We’ve also been successful at getting folks access to computers with internet for filing for unemployment and to file for those stimulus payments,” Root said. “We want to make sure that folks are being able to access those funds that their eligible for and that they are entitled to.”
The partnership has also been working hard to provide people with the ability to follow CDC safety and hygiene recommendations. Mutual Aid groups have created, distributed and are maintaining hand washing stations in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. In addition, the Town of Chapel Hill was able to provide bathroom and shower access for the community last week.
Root said this is so important as nation-wide business closures have limited the number of safe spaces where people without homes can practice basic hygiene.
“Lots of the places that folks have been going to do things like wash their hands or clothes – lots of restaurants, the library, other public spaces – are all closed,” Root said. “So been a really key effort and has been really great.”
The partnership also works with the Inter-Faith Council, or IFC, which runs both homeless shelters here in Chapel Hill.
Root said both shelters have implemented a very rigorous cleaning schedule and are doing their best to increase their social distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19.
To further this effort, Root said one program they currently have in the works is an effort to “de-congregate” the shelters.
“This is really ensuring that folks have individual units instead of having to share a unit with two, three, four other folks,” Root said.
Orange County also has an isolation program operational for people without housing who have coronavirus symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test.
“There are lots of services provided to those folks including getting an individual hotel room, getting access to medical care and transportation to various appointments should they need that,” Root said. “They’ll get meals delivered and someone to check in on them and we’re also trying to work with folks to get them directly into housing and into their permanent housing as we’re able to do that.”
Whether you or someone you know is currently experiencing homelessness, or is worried about facing eviction, Root encourages you to call their housing helpline to get the assistance you need.
The number for the helpline is (919) 245-2655.
To learn more about the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness, visit their website.
Lead photo courtesy of the OCPEH.
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