BOISE, Idaho — Now that summer is here, CATCH's outreach team is back out and about in the community handing out water, sunscreen, popsicles — anything you can think of that people experiencing homelessness might need — but this is all based on donations.
"It's what we have and we make it work," said Kym Westmoreland, an outreach worker for CATCH.
Every week, outreach workers like Kym head out into the community, passing out whatever donations they have that week to people experiencing homelessness. They go to parks and other areas where people might not be connected to resources, something that's especially important in this summer heat.
"To let people know what resources are available to cool off," said Casey McGee, the Outreach Program Manager for CATCH.
The nonprofit also recently partnered with the Bureau of Land Management to reach people experiencing homelessness in rural areas surrounding Boise.
"They have kind of unique needs in that they have no access to water," McGee said.
These people are usually camping or staying in RVs, so they also need propane for cooking and don't have the easy access to resources those in the Boise area have. Treasure, a former CATCH client who is now back in housing with her family, was living in an RV at this time last year. She said these donations really can make a difference for people in a similar situation, especially propane.
"I know that some people's propane runs their refrigerator and also their heat," she said.
In addition to connecting people with food, water and information, the outreach team can also start the process to get someone back into housing.
One of the best ways that you can help out is by donating the things above or donating financially to help house people experiencing homelessness.
