THE CCCDC IS A PARTNERSHIP OF MULTIPLE AGENCIES AND CHURCHES THAT IDENTIFIES NEEDS AND PROVIDES FREE ON-SITE SERVICES, Jenni Irwin and Jamie Hill REFERRALS AND RESOURCES TO ENHANCE THE TOTAL WELL-BEING OF THE HOMELESS, VULNERABLE, AND DESTITUTE.
OVERVIEW OF CHEROKEE COUNTY Fun Facts • Largest county in square miles in NC • 27,178 residents • 2 hours from anywhere • Can get to a Florida beach faster than our own • Only 5 miles from Murphy we have the Possum Drop – happens on New Years – PETA sued • Eric Rudolph – Olympic park bomber is from Murphy and was caught here – one of his hideouts was overlooking the High School
NOT SO FUN FACTS • The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office reports that in 3 years, 7,444 people have been arrested • In 2017 President Trump, reiterated and charged with 3,814 misdemeanors and 1,774 felonies, the CDCs findings in declaring so nearly 1/3 of the population is Cherokee County, NC has the “worst involved with the Criminal Justice drug problem” in North Carolina. System. • The Cherokee County DSS tells us that 95% of kids in foster care are • The NC Injury and Violence placed as a result of drug abuse. Prevention Branch reports that from • 59.3% of grandparents are raising 1999-2016, the annual drug their grandchildren deaths show a rate of 40.9 (per 100,000 residents), which is nearly • Just over 65% of total students receive a free/reduced lunch, with three times the state rate. some campuses experiencing over 90%. • CDC identified us as in the top 5 in NC for an HIV outbreak
WHY START A COMMUNITY DAY CENTER • Sheriff led – Sheriff’s Story • Vision - One stop shop, provide participants with a sense of worth, showers, meals, services • Non-judgemental support • Reach homeless, tent-city • Provide resources • Eager volunteers Reason for Action: We will see a decrease in hep C cases because of increase of treatment and services, decrease in criminal behavior because the participant is getting resources, decrease in hospitalizations/emergency room visits due to increase of treatment and services in the day use program, and hopefully in the long run an increase in further/long term substance use treatment for the participant.
1 ST MONTH – WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE ❖ Focus was data collection ❖ Open 2 days – Mondays and Wednesday ❖ Churches provided meals ❖ Showers being used ❖ Many people donated to church ❖ Church added dispensers
Successes of 1 st Month 1. Hep C testing 2. NC works – employment 3. Spoke with and reached around 10 people a day 4. 4 came in for showers Measures of Success: 1. Volunteer hours 2. Services participants would be interested in for future expansion 3. # of people that receive a meal/Shower 4. # of people who used the services (Agencies create a tally and provide to coordinator)
❑ Not reaching After 3 homeless months – we noticed….. ❑ Mostly senior citizens and individuals that have exhausted other services ❑ Church members - not happy ❑ Lack of volunteers
MORPHED AKA RE- EVALUATED
Where are we Now? Kimberly Ivie Craig was arrested for POSSESS METHAMPHETAMINE, MAINTAIN PLACE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, and POSSESS “Just a kind and DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. Craig was placed on gentle warning to all a $10,000.00 unsecure bond and has a the other motorists January 27th, 2016 Cherokee County and pedestrians that District Court date. might be on the road.. guess who is a fully insured licensed driver? Uh-huh.. that's right .” – Kim Ivie
A. Referral system – detainees and agency referrals (Reach, MPD, Appalachian Counseling, etc) B. Journey Fellowship – opening AGAIN in September – Wednesdays – serving walk- ins, and referrals from other agencies, meal available, wrap arounds services, showers available at Murphy First, assistance with laundry C. Sit down with Day center representative and begin Pastor Pat referral process Garrett and family
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