In some instances, attendance is a poor measure of the success of a meeting.
Thursday at the Trotter Center, roughly 30 people gathered for a program sponsored by the Columbus Community Outreach Center to discuss the status of the homeless in the city and greater Golden Triangle area.
The better measure of the meeting was that it attracted representatives from 15 agencies, all of whom deal with the homeless in one form or another. Agencies such as the Golden Triangle Homeless Coalition, which deals exclusively with the homeless to the Columbus Police Department, which often encounters the homeless as a part of its daily routine, were there.
Glenda Buckhalter, director of the Community Outreach Center, said Thursday’s event is the first of monthly meetings designed to bring agencies that deal with the homeless together to share ideas and information.
We see real value in this attempt to create a cohesive, unified effort to address the problem of homelessness, especially when we consider that the homeless are not a monolithic group – the circumstances that lead to homeless vary widely. Some fall into homeless as a result of losing employment, addiction, mental illness, domestic abuse or a number of other traumatic events.
Since each agency has its own unique mission, resources and programs, it makes sense that each group has a grasp of what the other groups are doing.
Beyond that, a better understanding of what each program has to offer could lead to more efficiency through eliminating redundancies or through helping identify where gaps in assistance may exist.
Rev. Anne Harris, co-director of the Golden Triangle Homeless Coalition, noted Thursday’s meeting was, indeed, of great value.
“I’ve been here three years and have worked on this issue almost from the start,” she said. “But I learned more in this meeting that I learned in the previous three years. For me, at least, this has been extremely enlightening.”
These monthly meetings help build a strong network of support and service for the homeless and allows for the group to consider strategies to address issues as they emerge.
The value of improved cooperation and communication between all the agencies who deal with homelessness will not solve the issue, we realize. Even so, we recognize that this is an important step in improving the services provided by each group.
We applaud Buckhalter for her leadership in this effort and commend all of those who are participating.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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