BOZEMAN — HRDC’s street outreach team will be cleaning up urban camping zones across the city and they’re needing some help from the community.
“Everyone is struggling in their own way and this is just a way to come together and show people that they’re seen,” said Crystal Baker, homeless outreach coordinator for HRDC.
Baker says so far this summer, they’ve seen a pretty big increase in the number of folks moving into urban camping areas.
If you drive by WinCo, you can see tons of RVs and vehicles parked along the road.
“We do have dumpsters at a lot of our sights,” said Baker.
But as you can imagine, with all those RVs, vehicles, and one trashcan at the end of the block…
“They fill up really quickly,” said Baker. “It’s a little less consistent to get the city out there to empty those because they’re short-staffed.”
That’s why the HRDC is taking things into their own hands.
This Sunday, June 4, the street outreach team is looking for volunteers to help them clean things up.
“I’m hoping to see upwards of 80 people, that’s my goal,” said Baker. “I look forward to being able to go out there with trucks, and trailers, and help people get rid of stuff they’re accumulating.”
Baker says they’ll provide supplies and staff members will be there to guide volunteers every step of the way as they build connections and support those experiencing homelessness.
“Communities are often only as strong as their most vulnerable resident,” said Baker. “And we have a lot of folks experiencing housing instability.”
The HRDC is asking volunteers to meet at the Warming Center on June 4 at 9 AM. To sign up, visit https://linktr.ee/hrdc_swmontana.
