KILLEEN, Texas — Community leaders addressed homelessness in Killeen Thursday. This came after nearly 800 homeless men and women were provided shelter in Killeen at the Friends in Crisis Homeless Shelter last year.
Tents are the only homes some people have. Sidewalks are the closest thing to a mattress some will ever sleep on. As much as people may want to help, there are some ways that are better than others.
"If you give them money, they are going to spend it the wrong way sometimes, but if you give them resources that will be the best thing," said Maria Carmona, Shelter Coordinator at Friends in Crisis in Killeen.
Carmona said she services 55 to 60 homeless people per day.
"If they need a place to stay I give them our number to call and say ask for availability," Carmona said.
Agencies like Friends in Crisis are the reason The Community Task Force for Bell County hosted a symposium Thursday to come up with better strategies and programs to help assist.
“I was told that you can give that homeless man $20.00 and you don’t know where that $20.00 is going, but if you take that same $20.00 and give it to a coalition or an agency now you know where that money is going and how it is going to be used as a benefit,” said Angie Wilkerson, of The Community Task Force for Bell County.
Wilkerson said when working together as a group they are able to reach more and do more for the community.
"We are getting away from a handout to a hand up,” Wilkerson said. “We understand there are strength in numbers, but there's power in unity.”
Friends in Crisis said they helped 88 homeless households receive housing assistance in 2020. If you missed Thursday’s discussion you can find it on the City's Facebook page.
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