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Editor's Note: The following is the fourth in a series of articles investigating the homelessness issue in Randolph County.
ELKINS -- With Christmas Day right around the corner, the realization that some in our community will be homeless for the holiday may inspire sadness, but there are many local individuals working to improve the situation, and multiple ways to donate to help those in need.
In 2023, more than 1,400 people were reported to be homeless in West Virginia, which was a 3% increase from 2022, and up 24% from 2021.
Statistics show that 58% of people experiencing homelessness in West Virginia are male, while 48% are between the ages of 25 and 44.
Drug addiction is often a contributing factor to homelessness, said Elkins City Councilman David Parker, who has served as the chair of the Mayor's Task Force on Substance Abuse and Homelessness.
"Those two things, drug addiction and homelessness, can go hand in hand, definitely," Parker told The Inter-Mountain. "There's just so many issues, and they do tend to overlap.
"Drug addiction issues, that is really where we put the biggest part of our focus. We have been busy, and we've been really focused, for about three years now, and sometimes it can feel like one step forward and two steps back, especially with the substance abuse issues, but we continue to be working on that."
Parker said the Randolph County Housing Authority has made a major difference in dealing with local homelessness.
"I think the homelessness piece of things, we have not specifically dealt with, in the way that the Housing Authority has in the past. They were I think one of the real drivers for working with the issue of homelessness.
"We had a woman from the Housing Authority with the Task Force who was a part of our core group for quite a while, Jennifer Griggs, but she moved to Huntington. But Jennifer was quite a force in that regard," Parker said.
The Randolph County Housing Authority Homelessness Program's Housing Case Manager works with people to find and lease apartments, and then to address the problems that initially led to homelessness. Funding for the RCHA Homelessness Program is currently provided by the federal department of Housing and Urban Develoment through the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness. This funding pays for staff and for rental housing, but funds are needed for security deposits, utility payments, ID recovery and duplication and, in some cases, household goods.
The program welcomes your tax-deductible donations to help people experiencing homelessness find and maintain housing. For more information, call the Randolph County Housing Authority at 304-636-649.
The purpose of the Homelessness Program is to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and at serious risk of becoming homeless, by helping them move into transitional and permanent housing. In addition, officials help assist with navigational support and accessing placement services appropriate to each individual's specific situation. These services may include referrals to self-sufficiency programs, case management services, education and employment services, drug and alcohol treatment programs, and other supports, as necessary.
Homeless services and prevention arealso provided by North Central WV Community Action's two homeless services shelters: Scott Place Homeless Shelter in Fairmont, and the Randolph County Homeless Shelter in Elkins. Both facilities are committed to providing a safe, sanitary, and cost-effective means of sheltering individuals and families who have little or no means of support. For more information, call the Randolph County Homeless Shelter at 304-636-5193.
Other organizations that provide services to people experiencing homelessness in West Virginia include the West Virginia Department of Human Services, which can provide emergency food, shelter and medical care, individual service plans, and can work with community organizations to develop and provide services.
The West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness can provide emergency food, food delivery, food pantries, meals and nutrition education.