Over the last month in Bullhead City, Arizona there has been a lot of discussion about the feeding of the homeless at Bullhead City Parks, specifically Community Park and The Ken Fovarge (Splash Pad) Park.
There are many organizations and individuals that have made and served food to the homeless population at these locations over the years. Their hearts are amazing and they want to help in a hands on and practical way.
Catholic Charities has been building a Homeless Shelter here in Bullhead for awhile and now it is finally completely finished. It has for the past month or so been serving breakfast, lunch and a sack lunch that the homeless can take with them. It has only been 5 days a week, but starting in March will be open 7 days a week.
Not only can the homeless get fed there they can take a shower, do laundry, get online to communicate with their loved ones and get help from the caseworkers there to get the resources that they need to get out of their current unsustainable situation.
The shelter is located in the heart of Bullhead, but a distance from the homeless "camp" that it across from community park in the desert. The City provides the homeless shelter with free bus passes that can be used to get to and from the shelter and the bus stops are located close to the park and the shelter. There is also a local taxi company that said at the last city council meeting that they give free rides to the homeless wherever they need to go.
The Shelter is in need of volunteers to be open and fully operational especially to be able to open up to take overnight guests.
If you want to help please go to the following website
https://catholiccharitiesphoenix.volunteerhub.com/lp/bullheadcityshelter/
or email volunteer@cc-az.org.
The city council voted that effective May 1, 2021 there will no longer be feeding in the Bullhead City Parks without first obtaining a permit. That means almost 90 days for the homeless shelter to completely open and be able to take overnight guests, which with the Covid numbers dropping and vaccines being more widely available that should be a likely possibility.
Therefore it is not about to feed or not to feed the homeless. Everyone one in this community wants to see them fed, but they also want to see them get the needed help and rehabilitation that is so desperately needed. So instead of people reading half the story and just seeing "NO FEEDING IN THE PARKS" let's take a closer look at the full story.
Step up - Volunteer at the shelter. If you have a business in town that needs employees give them a chance to reclaim their dignity and work. It is more satisfying to earn something than to have a hand out. Although there are times that we all need a hand out more often than not we would rather have a hand up, have someone help us be able to provide for ourselves and our families.
Let's start uniting as a community around this issue instead of being so divisive. We all know each other and want the best for our community and for the homeless which are a part of our community.
-Grace Hecht
