Homeless population vulnerable during coronavirus outbreak: ‘I’m just watching people suffer’

Thanks to efforts from a local homeless man and several agencies serving the at-risk population, this week shower accommodations were opened up to the homeless in Dayton. St. Vincent de Paul, the Life Enrichment Center and Goodwill are now open for homeless to shower.

“I’m just watching people suffer,” said Louis Wood Jr., who is currently homeless. “This is the worst time to be homeless. They have had all their services taken away because of fear of the virus.”

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Wood said he is spearheading an effort to get help for the “street homeless” in Dayton. He said he has called Dayton - Montgomery County Public Health, several Dayton city commissioners and the American Red Cross to try to get relief for the homeless.

After becoming aware of the issue, St. Vincent this week opened its showers and hand washing stations to those not staying at their shelters too.

Michael Vanderburgh, the executive director of St. Vincent de Paul, said anyone who wants a shower can come to St. Vincent’s shelter at 120 W. Apple St. in Dayton at from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Vanderburgh said those who shower could also get a sack lunch before they leave.

Miami Valley Housing Opportunities has been working to get these resources open since the coronavirus crisis started, said Heather Wilson, program services manager at MVHO.

Wilson said the showers at Goodwill Easter Seals at the St. Elizabeth building on Edwin C. Moses will be open by appointment. A MVHO PATH case manager must be present with the person who wishes to shower.

The Life Enrichment Center will also be open for the homeless to clean themselves. The days and times for that location are still up in the air, Wilson said.

“We are working to get a solution to this,” Wilson said. “It is moving slow right now because everyone is working remotely.”

Wilson said that no one planned for a pandemic like this, but the organization is learning as the pandemic is progressing.

“We are fully engaged, we are still working to get the homeless population food and blankets and whatever resources they might need,” Wilson said. “The county, the city and various agencies are come closer while trying to help this population.”

Wilson said MVHO is working with a couple other area agencies to offer more locations for the homeless to shower and keep clean.

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Wood said he recently saw somebody spit on their hands to clean them off. This is alarming because if the street homeless population can’t get clean, they could be at a higher risk of getting the coronavirus or spreading it.

St. Vincent also has portable hand-washing stations in addition to their regular restroom facilities at each of their emergency shelters and the permanent housing sites in downtown Dayton, North Main Street in Dayton and Kettering. Street homeless can now also come use those hand washing stations.

“We recognize that there are homeless folks who will not stay in a shelter,” Vanderburgh said.

Wood said the only place for the homeless to sit down and eat a meal is the Gospel Mission. All other food pantries are carry out only.

“People are just sitting on the concrete because they can’t even go in and sit down somewhere,” Wood said. “It’s really bad out here right now.”

St. Vincent is currently housing 82 homeless men, women and children in hotel rooms.

“These guests are especially susceptible to (coronavirus) because they are seniors, have chronic health conditions or young children who are especially at risk for spreading the virus,” Vanderburgh said.

Another 300 men and women are in St. Vincent’s regular shelters. Some people, like Wood, choose not to sleep in shelters.

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Rhine McLin, former mayor of Dayton, said no one was prepared to change their operations for a pandemic like this.

“There is just so much going on in our country right now, that this is probably a group that got overlooked,” McLin said.

McLin said those living on the street are a vulnerable group and there should be a plan in place for keeping them healthy if something like this were to happen again.

“Or if there is a second wave of the coronavirus, like they’re saying there is going to be,” McLin said. “We need to do something. We need to make sure that if we’re taking something away, what are we putting in lieu of it?”

Wood himself is currently waiting for housing through MVHO. He is showering when he can at various friends’ houses.

“This has to be done for the future,” Wood said. “This kind of pandemic could happen again and the next time we need to make sure the homeless won’t be as bad off.”

Where homeless can shower or wash their hands: