People Helping People

Food and Shelter, Inc. meets extraordinary demand for local service

BY: Callie Collins

COVID-19 has changed life for so many families in the community we share. Putting an exact number on how many is an almost impossible task, as the ways large and small are difficult to accurately count. Local non-profit organizations, however, are registering record numbers of those seeking services.

Food and Shelter, Inc. has served Norman since 1983 but the need has never been greater than during the past year. In keeping with the organization’s name, food aid, help with utilities and mortgage or rental payment assistance are the main services it provides.

“In February of last year and even in March before things got critical, we saw 250 people each month but in April and May, it was more than 600. We were averaging about 600 but these last two months, November and December, we saw 1,500 each month,” said Sunny Hill, director of food service. “The need has more than tripled in the past year. Demand has gone up and up and up.”

Year-end statistics show that Food and Shelter served more than 25,000 people in 2020.

“We know that at least 15,000 unique people came through for food services from our food pantry alone,” said Hill.

Other services include hot meals served in the dining room at 201 Reed Ave, in addition to eviction prevention and housing assistance.

But how does a non-profit handle such a marked increase in demand for services?

“You just do it because it needs to be done,” said Hill. “Every day, we are here. It doesn’t matter if it’s Sunday or a holiday or it’s icy out. The need is here so we are here. There is a consistent increase, with many, many new people, including those who were unaware of our services but have now come to us as clients.”

Donations, including through the United Way of Norman, make services possible. The program relies heavily on volunteers. Although limited federal funding allowed for additional temporary workers, it ran out in June. Participation in workforce training programs and community employment opportunities for seniors rounds out a surprisingly small number of employees.

COVID-19, however, has also made third party staffing more difficult.

“Faith and civic groups have stopped except for four,” explained Hill, who remains optimistic despite the incredibly trying circumstances. “This is a great community to do this kind of work due to an amazing support network. The incredible financial support that comes from people helping people is what makes our work possible.”

Executive Director April Heiple agrees.

“The thing about this community that I love so much is people’s generosity. The United Way rallied the community together and the work our employees do each day would not be possible without incredible financial support,” said Heiple.

“Oftentimes, we have school staff reaching out for their students. Kids are sleeping in cars or in tents at a lake somewhere. They are an invaluable resource for referrals to address what is happening,” she explained.

Heiple and Hill have met people who have never before sought services suddenly in need of help, including those who would have previously been in a position to donate.

“The truth is, we are all a missed paycheck or two away from being the person who requires Food and Shelter,” said Hill. “What I want people to remember is ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’”

“Poverty is an economic issue,” said Heiple. “The biggest misperception is that addiction or mental issues are the issue behind the families we serve. Those are issues we see, but we all know addicts or people with a mental illness who are not homeless.

“COVID has shown us how fragile our community is to working people. Economic structure crumbled for 10,000 to 15,000 people,” she said. “The true cause of homelessness is not criminality or mental health issues. It is economics. We will have to have an economic solution. The government is not going to come to the rescue with some grand solution. It is people helping people.”

“Any unexpired, packaged food has a place here. We can use it.”

Food donations are always welcome. Food banks and US- DA-sponsored food products provide groceries that serve both the cafeteria-style kitchen and the food pantry.

“We are here to receive donations every day,” said Hill, who used to work in the restaurant business. “Whether it’s for the meals I’m making in the kitchen or for families to take home from the food pantry, I need everything. If it’s a single can of soup or a 20-pound bag of pasta, I can use it. We do not accept homemade food unless it was prepared in a commercial kitchen but other than that, ingredients are always needed.

“Any unexpired, packaged food has a place here. We can use it.”

Urgency and the possibility of additional families in need of services remains pressing.

“Very suddenly, families have just lost resources. When we get their calls, the panic they feel is palpable. During the summer, people got relief payments and a bump in unemployment and the calls leveled out. Since August or September, though, they’ve started coming back in again. The number of people who need help is consistently growing,” said Heiple. “My greatest fear is that when the Jan. 31 eviction moratorium is listed, hundreds and hundreds of more families will find themselves homeless.”

While CARES Act dollars have helped, funds are spread thin, especially when families are several months behind on payments like rent or utilities. Food and Shelter also operates a day shelter and helps arrange emergency stays at local motels. Tuscany Court is its housing option for families who meet specific criteria, often after living in homeless shelters but are in need of wraparound services.

They may have a Section 8 voucher or otherwise pay rent but continue to work on steps to living independently with access to services that can help them progress. Long-term planning is part of the interventions offered to try to remedy the underlying housing situation that leads people to homelessness.

“With COVID-19, there is hope. Vaccines are coming,” Heiple said. “In the meantime, our goal is to help people pay rent and utility bills when possible, keep them housed and have them leave here with enough food to feed their family for a week. That isn’t going to end the need, though.”

Heiple’s motivation comes in part from her own life experience as the daughter of a person who benefited from social intervention. When she was 11, her parents divorced and her father disappeared. He resurfaced in her life 14 years later, after receiving help with alcoholism and mental health.

“My Dad had been homeless most of that time. People assume you are a bad person or you have chosen to live this life,” she shared. “In his halfway house, his case manager looked him in the eye and saw something in him. She gave him an opportunity. He was a great person but his addiction and mental issues had dominated his life. He was so touched by someone taking a chance on him that he made the most of it. My Dad was able to move into an apartment and work again and achieve the goals that we work on with every single person who is seeking services in a similar position.”

Heiple continues to see the value of every individual, from those who need just a temporary way to bridge a gap to individuals struggling with a lifetime of difficulty.

“The people we see each day are someone’s mom or dad, brother or sister. Everybody we work with is someone’s child who did not wish for homelessness or to be a criminal or an addict. Without someone to wrap you up and say ‘there’s a better way and you’re worth this investment,’ life sometimes goes another way,” said Heiple. “Not everyone is going to take that opportunity but when we say ‘Here’s your map, there is a path,’ a lot of them will take it. We see their life change.”

Hill wants people to know that they should not be afraid to seek services.

“There is a stigma attached but these are just people and through no fault of their own, they’re in this situation,” she shared. “Especially those who may be undocumented: they need not be afraid. For those in this situation for the very first time, this is a good place to start.”

Volunteers ages 16 and older or with a parent present are also welcome.

“Come and experience it,” she said by way of invitation to the community. “Whether you’re volunteering or need help, peoples’ lives are changed here.”

Find more information about Food and Shelter at foodandshelterinc.org or call 360-4954 to learn more about services, how to donate and volunteer opportunities. – BSM