SAN ANGELO, Texas — Several community agencies hosted a Homeless Navigation Day in the First Presbyterian Church gymnasium in San Angelo Tuesday.
The monthly event is designed to allow homeless community members find many useful services in one place. A career center was positioned near the gym's entrance. There were also stations where people could find agencies that provided clothes, food, legal help and drug abuse counseling. La Esperanza also had a mobile clinic stationed in the parking lot.
Richard Lewis and his dog, Gaga, regularly attend navigation days. He said the resources provided have significantly helped him. Lewis said staff onsite previously helped him get an ID.
"I like the people that's here," Lewis said. "We do know each other by name. We became friends, and I like that very much."
Chrysanthemum Crenshaw works with Concho Valley Community Action Agency to help develop a homeless program manual. Two of her sisters died while experiencing homelessness, and Crenshaw was homeless for a brief time period, she said.
"That lived experience has led me to have a different perspective that is very valuable when providing services and when figuring out what services need to be provided," she said.
Crenshaw said many people are just one or two paychecks away from experiencing homelessness.
CVCAA hosts Homeless Navigation Day once a month from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of San Angelo, 32 N. Irving St.
Here's how you can help - the program is in need of volunteers to help with navigation day.
"Volunteering could be different things depending on what we need for the month," Jason Priddy, West Texas Counseling and Guidance veteran case manager, said. "It can range from doing intakes to just sitting and talking with our neighbors."
If you want to help neighbors like Lewis and Gaga, click here.