Agencies in area look to help homeless

Richard Gomez is concerned about the homeless problem in the Clovis area, and he wants to do something about it.

Gomez, co-founder and executive director of Clovis' Lighthouse Mission, said he walked away from Thursday's Clovis city commission meeting concerned about what he heard.

Commissioners unanimously approved an anti-camping ordinance city officials said is aimed at community safety.

Gomez said he believes the ordinance "is for good reasons but we need to find a solution to the (homeless) problem."

Gomez has been helping Clovis' less fortunate for 36 years, providing meals, clothing and shelter.

"Friday morning I got my staff together to come up with ideas to accomplish solutions," Gomez said.

Gomez does not believe he and his staff will ever get all the answers needed. But he plans to start by asking questions.

"We'll be starting conducting surveys with all the people who eat here and come in for clothing. We'll find out how we can help homeless people," Gomez said.

Gomez shared a copy of the survey. The questions include:

• Are you homeless?

• Why are you homeless?

• How long have you been homeless?

• Where do you sleep?

• Are you from Clovis?

• What city/state do you come from?

• How long have you been in Clovis?

• Do you have a plan?

• How can the Lighthouse Mission help you?

• Do you have a birth certificate?

• Social Security card?

• ID?

"I've never asked these questions, now I will," Gomez said.

Gomez expressed the need for volunteers and for key employees.

"We expanded the shelter. We have the room. We need the help. For instance we need a shelter manager, we need a social worker, we need a staff on call," Gomez said.

Gomez said he once lived on premises at the Lighthouse Mission, just off Mabry Drive on Clovis' west end. He said police were bringing in people who needed help all hours of the day.

"After we take the survey we're going to do more social work to get people of the street permanently," Gomez said.

Gomez said he stands ready to help other organizations with the issue, but also hopes to get assistance for the Mission from other organizations.

"We don't get government funding. We choose not to. We can all chip at the problem and alleviate what we can," Gomez said.

Gomez said the Mission offers limited housing services at no charge and daily meals at no charge. Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. and lunch starts at 11:30 a.m.

"Volunteers are welcome. They're needed all the time," Gomez said.

Best guess: 100-200 homeless in Clovis

A recent meeting at Clovis' Salvation Army produced a guess that 100 to 200 local residents are homeless. That's from Erinn Burch, executive director of United Way of Eastern New Mexico.

Clovis schools each year identify and work with "150 or more students experiencing homelessness," Burch said.

The New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness estimated in 2023 there were 3,842 unhoused people in the state.

Capts. David and Diane Shatto of the Salvation Army outlined what they do to "chip away" at the homeless issue in Clovis.

"The Salvation Army's mission is to do the most good for the folks of Clovis," Diane Shatto wrote in an email.

Services Shatto noted:

• The Food pantry available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

• Utilities assistance available for inquiries Tuesdays and Thursdays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

• Emergency motel nights.

• Transportation assistance.

• Emergency disaster services.

• Help for families at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

• Back to school needs.

• Children's programs.

"We partner with many agencies, like United Way of Eastern New Mexico, Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico, Matt 25, RGH Children's Alliance, Mental Health Resources, and many others to ensure that people's needs are being met," Shatto wrote.

Shatto noted the Clovis Salvation Army offers "spiritual support with weekly church services and programs."

"One underutilized service we offer is meeting and event space, as well as a computer lab with 10 work stations that other agencies, clubs or groups can use by agreement," Shatto wrote.

Shatto added they will soon be starting a formal program called "Pathway to Hope," specifically for families experiencing homelessness or who are on the verge of homelessness.

"Everything we do begins with loving people. It takes the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness in all relationships for change to happen. We serve all in need who come to us, without discrimination," Shatto wrote.

Grants have been allocated to assist

The Eastern Plains Council of Governments also plans on getting involved in alleviating the homeless situation in the area.

"EPCOG is a regional planning and development organization, one of seven in New Mexico originally created in 1969 by former Gov. David Cargo," Executive Director Sandy Chancey wrote in an email.

The agency assists local governments in Curry, De Baca, Guadalupe, Harding, Quay, Roosevelt and Union counties with transportation planning, comprehensive planning, economic development initiatives and technical assistance in a variety of areas Chancey wrote.

Regarding homelessness, Chancey reported EPCOG is "administering some grant funds allocated in the last legislative session to provide assistance to organizations that provide comprehensive shelter services to homeless veterans and citizens."

"We have released a Request for Proposals seeking organizations that provide safe and secure shelter and essential support services to move people out of homelessness and into permanent housing," Chancey wrote.

At Thursday's city commission meeting, Chancey told commissioners EPCOG is working with the United Way of Eastern New Mexico on a program to help homeless youth.

"With this grant we will offer rapid rehousing for young adults who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless," Burch wrote in an email to The News. "The funding should make stable long-term housing possible for up to 14 young people per year."

Justin Nutt, chief executive officer of Nurstead Mental Health & Consulting Services, was also at Thursday's commission meeting.

"We have a drop-in center, the only 24-hour one in the state, where we offer everything from a cup of coffee to help in crisis. The drop-in center is the first step," Nutt said Monday.

Nutt said Nurstead has a staff of 12 to 15 people.

"Among services offered at the drop-in center are job coaching, practice interviews, applying for jobs and applying for basic state assistance," Nutt said.

Nutt noted Nurstead "is working on acquiring properties, sober living, transitional living, folks who are homeless, those who are just out of prison and such."

"I'm not necessarily against this 'anti-camping' ordinance, a lot of good can come out of it," Nutt said. "Without the police out there we might not know the homeless are out there. Our police are amazing. With the police interaction we can get people help they need," Nutt said.