Asheville Buncombe 20 Twentieth St th Community Asheville, NC 28806 50 chee (628) 2595300 wawabeem.org Ministry April 2, 2019 County Commissioners Mr. Brownie Newman, Chair Dear Commissioners, ‘Tonight is a Code Purple night - where temperatures drop below freezing and are life- threatening. On April 2 while in the warmth of our own homes we may wish winter ‘was over, since Sunday night and again tomorrow night, ABCCM's van will be driving around to different encampments offering to bring people in to the emergency shelter at the Veterans’ Restoration Quarters and Steadfast House. In the last six months, since October 2018, ABCCM’s Steadfast House and Veterans Restoration Quarters have provided 6220 overnight stays to 45 different individuals (men and women). Steadfast House provided 6 beds and the VRQ provided up to 100 beds. This is almost double the 3446 for last winter 2017-18 overnight stays. The cos to ABCCM has been about $75,000, with churches and donors giving a litle over $30,000, tohelp make up the deficit. ABCCM's Board and member congregations are essentially providing the lion’s sare ofemergency seller, and ABCCM is He only agency fully participating in Code Purge Will the County Commissioners consider a one-time grant to help offset these costs? ‘The Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee of Asheville and Buncombe County clearly need to come up with a new Code Purple Plan to address this problem. ABCCM has bought our community time to figure this out. ABCCM does not need “thanks” or “recognition” because this is our mission. But, as one ABCCM Board member said, “Does the County even know itis getting a free ride from congregations and volunteers at awccM? Brief History: Last April, 2018, Western Carolina Rescue Mission (WCRM) announced that they were dropping out of Code Perple for men this winter (2018-19). This was due to an incident of violence. Most of us thought that they would receive additional assistance from the City of Asheville and doxors of Buncombe County to compensate for additional security resulting in their future participation. They asked the City for help. But,another reason that they gave was because they contracted with Buncombe County to serve homeless moms with children. Now WCRM requires a background check from. the Police Dept. and will not accept referrals, even from colleagues like ABCCM. Then in September, 2018, the Salvation Army changed its executive leadership around the same time they lost signficant funds to support their pre-release shelter. ‘Since Michael Woods at WCRM initiated our community's Code Purple plan and ‘guidelines, and since we thought that the Salvation Army would replace its funding, none of us seriously considered that they would really not participate in Code Purple. At the same time, the paid staff leadership of the Homeless Initiative Advisory ‘Committee also tumed ever. Their leadership role was not present to convene meetings or develop a new set of ctrategies. We are grateful for Brian Husky in his new role and, he has new ideas for us to consider. ABCCM's two emergency shelters are the only ones pasticipating fully -taking both, ‘men and women- in Code Purple this winter, Since October, 2018, when the first cold spell hit until now, ABCCM has carried the lion’s share of taking overflow emergency shelter residents. This does not discount the work that has been done by WCRM taking a few women that are brought to them by the police, or organizations like Trinity Baptist who stepped in curing the snow storm and the Beloved Community who has taken in an additional 2 to 25 persons. However, ABCCM's emergency shelter has averaged 70+ persons every night of Code Purple. This included 6 beds at Steadfast House and the rest atthe Veterans’ Restoration Quarters We wanted Commissioners to know that ABCCM has taken on more than its share to help ensure that no one froze to death on our streets. Brian Huskey, Homeless ‘Coordinator, went the extra mile to arrange for free bus passes for the homeless to the VRQ. ABCCM has seen double the numbers of last year and spent twice as much ‘money over ast year than we planned for. On average, it has cost ABCCM an. additional $12,500 a month for the past 6 months. ‘Weare asking the County Commissioners to consider making a one-time grant to help case the burden. We will ask City Council to also consider a one-time gift. ABCCM stepped up out of the compassion that our churches expect and would do in the case of any unanticipated disaster. This winter could have been a major disaster without ABCCM. We would ask your consideration for a gift of $30,000 to underwrite this deficit in serving the homeless.We want tobe clear that both Western Carolina Rescue Mission and the Salvation Army. continue to serve their fair share of homeless by maintaining the beds that they provide year-round. Both of these fine organizations found a way to keep their regular beds, funded. The one thing they could not do this winter was to take the overflow as they have done with us over the last decade, and where together, we were able to take in the Jarge number of people encamped and at isk. We are honored to work together with all those serving the homeless throughout the ‘year fo come up with a better solution for next winter and for our community. ‘Thanks for your consideration, Respectfully, |e SC eg Executive Director