The homeless situation in Amarillo is not =
unique. Most=20
cities of any size have a homeless population and it =
bothers=20
city officials and welfare workers who work to =
alleviate the=20
problem.
Six homeless shelters serve an estimated 400 =
homeless=20
people in Amarillo: the Salvation Army, Abba House, =
Martha's=20
Home, Faith City Ministries, Family Support Domestic =
Violence=20
Center, and Another Chance House. All serve the =
homeless near=20
the downtown area.
In 1987, community leaders and agency officials =
decided to=20
form a coalition to address the homeless problem in =
Amarillo,=20
said Diann Gilmore, executive director of the Downtown =
Women's=20
Center.
"The Amarillo Coalition for the Homeless is made up =
of 40=20
or so individuals, non-profit agencies and churches to =
assist=20
the homeless," Gilmore said. "We've been meeting =
monthly since=20
October 1987. The city of Amarillo has provided us =
with=20
wonderful support by helping us with federal and state =
grants.
"This year, 2006, we lost federal money for a =
couple of=20
reasons. Somehow we had too much money last year so we =
lost=20
about $80,000. This year we'll lose about $160,000 =
that=20
benefitted nine or 10 different agencies."
Homelessness is brought on by a number of factors, =
said=20
Rick Phillips, executive director of Faith City =
Ministries.
"I think homelessness has increased in Amarillo," =
Phillips=20
said. "The main cause is money, or the lack of it. =
People are=20
living on the edge financially. Domestic violence is a =
huge=20
problem. Then there's drug and alcohol abuse. All of =
these=20
things contribute to the problem."
The Amarillo Coalition for the Homeless is "working =
better=20
than ever," Phillips said.=20
"For instance, we're working with the Salvation =
Army to=20
coordinate our meal times, getting them closer to the =
same=20
time. We've also got the Hope for Men and Women =
discipleship=20
program. We're trying to get these men and women to =
realize=20
they need help and to commit to working with us for a =
year=20
instead of on a daily basis."
Phillips said four agencies - The Downtown Women's =
Center,=20
Faith City Ministries, Martha's Home and The Salvation =
Army -=20
have teamed up with the American Housing Foundation, a =
nonprofit organization formed to provide affordable =
housing=20
units and shelters for the homeless, low-income =
families and=20
individuals and the elderly.
"It's basically low-income transitional housing," =
Phillips=20
said. "We're trying to get people who are in between =
from the=20
shelter to low-income housing. We want them to keep =
moving up=20
the ladder until they find permanent housing."
Gilmore and Phillips said agencies are looking =
forward to=20
their annual cornbread and beans luncheon, the biggest =
fundraiser of the year, usually in October.=20
"I think this is our ninth year," Gilmore said. "We =
need to=20
make this interphase for the homeless the best it's =
ever been=20
because we need to make up what funding we've lost."
Phillips agrees. "Lots of agencies rely on =
Emergency=20
Shelter Grant money," he said. "It just didn't happen =
this=20
year. Funding is always an issue. Funding was cut in =
our area=20
this year. I still feel real good about how things are =
going."
It is estimated that more than 3 million men, women =
and=20
children were homeless over the past year - about 30 =
percent=20
of them chronically and the others temporarily, =
according to=20
information from The National Law Center for =
Homelessness and=20
Poverty.
![3D""=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/spacer.gif")
![3DSubscribe=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/subscribe.gif")
![3D"Amarillo](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/header/header_story_logo.gif"=20){kind=logo}
![3DHomes=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/icons_story_homes.gif"=20){kind=icon}
![3DJobs=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/icons_story_jobs.gif"=20){kind=icon}
![3DAutos=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/icons_story_autos.gif"=20){kind=icon}
![3D"Local](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/section_headers/localnews_story.gif=)
![3D""=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/storyad_border.gif"=20)
![3D""=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/spacer.gif"=20)
![](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/081606/39532_256.jpg"=20)
![3DPrint=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/icons_print.gif"=20){kind=icon}
![3D""=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/quigo/story_top.jpg")
![3Dtop_jobs=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/redesign/images/section_headers/top_jobs.g=)
![3Dtop_cars=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/redesign/images/section_headers/top_cars.g=)