Thursday, August 28, 2008

Modesto, Turlock homeless fill all beds on recent cold nights

By ADAM ASHTON
aashton@modbee.com

last updated: December 22, 2007 02:20:40 AM

Kathleen Kelley walks up to The Salvation Army's emergency shelter on D Street, stepping around puddles alongside a pack of homeless men riding bicycles.

She gets in line with them at the shelter's door, a half-hour before its 6 p.m. opening Thursday.

"I get bed No. 11 every night," Kelley, 40, said, smiling underneath her tan hoodie.

Arriving there late can yield more serious consequences than a different bed. The shelter regularly fills its 105 single beds and occasionally turns away those who come last.

"It's been maxing out every night," Kelley said.

Since late October, the D Street shelter has filled 4,843 beds, an increase of 542 over the same period in 2006, said Sylvia Souza, shelter assistant program director.

Turlock's emergency shelter and the Modesto Gospel Mission on Yosemite Boulevard also are reporting full houses.

"We're full all the time," said Gospel Mission Administrator Barbara Deatherage. "When the weather gets bad, it becomes life-threatening."

It's not clear what's driving the increase in attendance at The Salvation Army shelter. Some say it feels colder outside, but weather records from the Modesto Irrigation District show this winter's temperatures are similar to last year's.

Karem Valenzuela, the shelter's program director, said more people are having trouble paying rent.

"We have a lot of new people this year," Souza said.

That can tax The Salvation Army's resources in more ways than bed spaces, some of the shelter seekers said.

"The clothes closet out there used to be packed," said Sandra Wilson, 53, noting a shortage of coats. "Now it's empty."

Winter can be difficult

Wilson and others at the shelter said they had been on the streets for a few years. Some acknowledged being addicted to drugs or alcohol.

They said winter is a trying time, as they carry clothes to keep them warm to a mix of stops around town, such as the Stanislaus County Library, a few parks and charities that offer meals.

"I'm not an innocent, but I don't deserve to be treated the way I am at this age," said Bertram "Moses" Dobbins, 63. He carried a cane and said he served in the Vietnam War.

Others complained about fruitless job searches.

"Nobody wants to give you a chance when they hear you're homeless," said Ken Hansen, 45. He finished a program in September in which he trained to become a computer network support technician, but he hasn't found a steady job.

Some said they were grateful for the shelter's willingness to get as many people inside as possible on the coldest nights. It can add a few more beds if the Fire Department agrees the weather creates an emergency.

"These guys are good about trying to help anyone," said Chuck Yates, 55. "They'll get you on the floor."

Kelley welcomed the calm while she watched people settle down for the night, making beds and catching up with friends.

"It's warm," she said. "It's good. There hasn't been a racket yet."

Bee staff writer Adam Ashton can be reached at aashton@modbee.com or 578-2366.

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