The Gilroy Compassion Center, a grassroots outreach organization offering food, clothes, shelter and support services – is taking a look back as it passes the one year mark since opening, and continues with it’s progress of becoming a year-round homeless shelter in Gilroy.
Located at 8425 Monterey Road, the facility’s hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We have served more than 500 homeless individuals since we opened,” said Compassion Center Director Jan Bernstein-Chargin. “It’s been a great response with unduplicated visits increasing each month.”
Looking at the year in review, Dec. 1, 2011 to Nov. 30, 2012, the Compassion Center has achieved these impressive stats during that time:
• 6,450: Number of times homeless individuals have accessed the center looking for assistance.
• 5,160: Number of times individuals were able to eat nutritious food, snacks and hot drinks at the beginning of their day.
• 2,086: Number of times individuals received clothing, shoes, supplies, disposable diapers, hygiene kits and other items.
• 647: The number of referrals to resources, housing, jobs, agency services, training, and education to improve chances of becoming stable again.
• 501: Number of individuals registered at the center seeking a path to self-sufficiency.
• 74: The number of unduplicated visits in Dec. 2011 when the center first opened.
• 210: Number of unduplicated visits in Nov. 2012.
• 598: Loads of clothes washed clean and dried in the center’s laundry facility.
• 342: Number of phone messages and mail received at the center for clients.
• 54: Number of community volunteers that has worked ay the center.
• 47: Number of attorney services and guidance used to obtain needed benefits such as disability and court documents.
About the Compassion Center
The Gilroy Compassion Center provides drop-in access to basic needs, including bathrooms, personal care items, laundry, clean clothes, supplies for daily living and respite from the streets. The Center also provides one-stop access to resource information, referrals, workshops and clinics offered by social service agencies and service professionals such as substance abuse counseling, legal clinic and personal counseling. A connection to other services through telephone, the Internet and quarterly Project Homeless Connect events is also provided.
Current high-priority needs: Front desk help, help organizing donation drives, men’s pants, toiletries, new or gently used clothing and bath towels.
Upcoming events: Project Homeless Connect
Coordinated by the Compassion Center, this is a quarterly event bringing together services providers form around the county to a single place at the same time.
Jan. 18 from noon – 3 p.m. at the Gilroy Baptist Church, located at 8455 Wren Ave.
Open to all who are homeless and volunteers are needed.
Services and providers include lunch, haircuts, clothing, medical van, other agencies and service providers including VTA, Alcoholics Anonymous, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center, Mental Health Advocacy Project, St. Joseph’s Family Center, Breakout
