Helping homeless, stopping virus a fine balance

Some Central Arkansas service providers are adjusting schedules, scaling back on and closing certain programs in attempts to stem the spread of covid-19 among those experiencing homelessness.

They are trying to stop the spread of disease while continuing to meet the needs of the homeless.

The homeless population, of whom many have chronic illnesses, limited access to health care and scant access to running water, is likely to be vulnerable, service providers said. Arkansas has about 2,740 people experiencing homelessness, according to 2019 regional reports.

“I’m very concerned about several of my friends who I know have HIV,” said Aaron

Reddin, founder of The Van. “I’ve got friends with COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]. … There’s no way to self-isolate when you’ve got to get out of your tent or a spot in your alley to find food or water or a place to go to the bathroom.”

The Van is a Little Rockbased nonprofit that brings food and other supplies to people who live outside.

Pastor William Holloway, director of the Little Rock Compassion Center, said he’s particularly concerned about senior citizens experiencing homelessness.

“I’m sure that if anything got started in one of these camps, it would be real hard to stop it,” Holloway said.

Reddin said while his group is still driving out to camps to bring people supplies, they are bringing them out to individuals or couples as much as possible rather than asking the homeless to congregate in a central spot to receive supplies. He said he’s getting lots of requests for hand sanitizer and that by today the group will likely be out of the disinfectant.

“Right now we’re saying, ‘Hey, don’t gather,’” he said.

Meeting individuals rather than groups may add time to nightly deliveries, he added.

Our House, a Little Rock shelter that also provides career training and child care for the homeless, announced on Facebook last week that it would close its gates to nonresidents. The shelter has 120 people who live on campus.

The children’s programs Our Club and Little Learners are closed. The Career Center is open only to residents. Case managers are staying in touch with families that don’t live on campus by phone, according to the post.

“Along with everyone else in our community, Our House is taking steps to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and keep our people and our campus safe,” the post reads. “On a normal day, more than 500 adults and children come through our gates to access various services, including 120 people that call our campus home.”

The post also said Our House is in need of food donations.

The Salvation Army Central Arkansas is housing people experiencing homelessness with a 6-foot bed separation and cleaning and disinfecting facilities regularly. It is also suspending in-house community meals, according to a news release sent Monday.

The Salvation Army also has prepared an “isolation dorm” that can accommodate up to 13 people. No one is staying in the dorm yet, according to the release.

“We understand that the need for food, counseling, emergency assistance and programming will continue to increase during this global crisis, and we stand ready to serve,” Capt. Jay Spalding, area commander for the Salvation Army Central Arkansas, said in the release. “Safety is our top priority for our clients and staff, therefore, in compliance with state and local authorities, we have made adjustments in how we are delivering our programs, but we will continue to meet needs as long as we can.”

The release said the Salvation Army needs bleach, hand sanitizer, twin sheets and pillows.

Jericho Way Day Resource Center, a day center for the homeless in Little Rock, placed limits on the number of people who can enter the center at one time. People are entering only to conduct business or use crisis services, according to a post made Friday on the center’s Facebook page.

Most of the center’s volunteers are senior citizens, and center officials asked them to stay home, according to the post. Reddin said he also had at least one team of volunteers that is staying home because they are vulnerable to the virus.

“We can’t do anything unless our folks are healthy as well,” Reddin said.

Holloway, of the Little Rock Compassion Center, said a few of his volunteers had opted to stay home as well.

He’s also seeing an increase in the number of people coming to the shelter. The shelter is screening people at the door for symptoms of covid-19, such as coughing and a fever.

“We have a lot more people coming in because it’s either here or sleep outside,” Holloway said.

The center is in need of financial donations, according to a news release sent Monday.

“I guess we’re doing about the same as anybody else is doing — the best we can,” Holloway said.