St. Benedict’s women and children’s facility aids in homelessness prevention

March 6, 2020 | 12:08 am

Updated March 5, 2020 | 9:21 pm

Photo by AP Imagery

Since opening two months ago, St. Benedict’s new Women and Families Services facility has made an impact on the community by using innovation to help those in need.

The new day shelter, located at 905 Hickman Ave., gives women, children and families a place to rest during the day, while simultaneously providing them with a variety of expanding resources, services and programs.

According to Executive Director Harry Pedigo, the new facility has served 136 people so far. The day shelter provided services to 64 women in January and another 72 in February.

Nine children were provided services in January and seven in February. Even though the day shelter primarily focuses on women, children and families, six men seeking assistance were helped during those two months as well.

What’s unique about the St. Benedict’s Women and Family Services program, in comparison to most homeless shelters, is its ability to deter people from homelessness before it even begins. In fact, Pedigo said the majority of their cases so far have revolved around prevention instead of intervention.

“That’s an area that’s under-addressed in the homeless population,” he said. “What if we help those individuals before they become homeless? We provide case management for those at risk, not just for homelessness. We’ve been able to help them in a lot of different ways.”

There’s a common misconception that homelessness is more like a disease than an ailment, which isn’t true. According to Pedigo, most of the homeless individuals he works with aren’t chronically homeless but are simply going through a period of homelessness due to a variety of factors.

Social workers and caseworkers at St. Benedict’s Women and Family Services are able to identify those potential risks for homelessness in individuals who seek assistance at the facility.

“They come in seeking our services. We try to get to the ‘why’ through an assessment,” he said.

Some people don’t even realize they’re at risk or, as Pedigo described it, precariously homeless when they come to the day shelter. Pedigo used the example of a woman who’d stopped by with a cart full of laundry who was staying with family members and had too many clothes to wash there.

“We helped identify that she was precariously homeless, and she didn’t even realize that,” he said. “We helped her with her laundry and got her in the right direction to help her situation.”

Pedigo described his social workers as the best he’s ever known, calling them passionate and personable with those seeking help.

During January and February, the staff at St. Benedict’s newest facility provided help for clients regarding sheltering services, adult protection services, court appearances, homelessness prevention, drug and alcohol treatment, apartments, medications, relocated/support system, GED/school, employment therapy, case management and contacts with clients.

“We’re always evaluating and trying to measure our outcomes, gaps, limitations and strengths,” Pedigo said. “I believe we have to be innovative when helping people.”

Pedigo said he has dreams of building a bigger facility for homeless women and children when the need presents itself but, for now, his main focus is on continuing to help those he can by expanding the services his shelters offer.

“Right now we’re working on transportation. We’re walking with [clients] through therapy, their doctor’s appointments, getting job applications and substance abuse. Part of our case management — we hold their hand if they want us to,” he said. “We’re working on getting our transportation options narrowed down for all that. We believe transportation is a need.”

March 6, 2020 | 12:08 am

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