Katy Non-Profit Groups Adapt Services for Growing Homeless Population

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

April 27, 2020

By Natalie Cook Clark

The coronavirus has altered the lives of all Katy residents. Families have stayed inside their homes for weeks, waiting for the curve to flatten. But what about Katy’s homeless? To support these neighbors in need, local non-profit groups have adjusted their services to meet the growing number of homeless people in the area.

Hope Impacts and their partners work to serve local homelessness needs.

Non-Profits Work Harder to Serve Growing Needs

Many local businesses remain closed or operating on limited hours during the coronavirus pandemic. However, local non-profit organizations are busier than ever increasing services and opportunities to assist the Katy homeless population.

Expecting Homeless Numbers to Continue to Rise

“We are expecting an influx of more homeless as this goes on,” says Tina Hatcher, Executive Director of Hope Impacts.

Hatcher says the non-profit organization sees about five to eight new people a week, more if a family contacts them.

“We already have been meeting more people weekly that never thought homelessness would happen to them,” says Hatcher.

Serving Through Social Distancing

The Center for Disease Control’s guidelines haven’t stopped Hope Impacts from continuing to help those in need.

“We are currently serving our street friends in our parking lot at 802 Dominion in Katy,” says Hatcher. “We are wearing gloves and masks, taking temperatures, assessing their health, determining needs and feeding them in to-go boxes we deliver to them along with their drinks.”

Hope Impacts offers food packs, hygiene packs, clothing, shoes, socks, and other essential items.

“We also go out on the streets and check on people,” says Hatcher. “We are also assessing telemedicine appointments and medication refills.”

Portable Hand Washing Stations Set Up Under Katy Freeway

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office Outreach Team, a partner of Hope Impacts, has put out portable hand washing and sanitizing stations under freeway underpasses to help slow the spread of the virus.

As the homeless continue to be impacted during this time, Hope Impacts continues to send families to distribution centers and their partners that are also trying to meet ongoing needs.

Serving Katy’s Tri-County Area

“We increased our partnerships before the pandemic, but continue to do so now,” says Hatcher. “Since Katy is a tri-county area we partner with organizations in each county as well. We are meeting needs in Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties. We share what we have to meet needs together.”

Donations of any kind are important during this time of crisis. Donations can be made online through the Hope Impacts website. Donations can also be dropped off at their office:

802 Dominion Drive Suite 900 Katy, Texas 77450

Monday - Thursday 9a.m. - 4p.m.

Current donation needs include:

Easy-open Soup Individual Chips, Goldfish Crackers Breakfast Items Crystal Light Packets Ensure Fresh Fruit Fruit Cups Deli Meat and Cheese Sandwich Bread 1lb. Packs of Beef, Pork, Chicken Snack Packs Mustard and Mayo Packets To-go Containers Individual Picnic Packs of Plasticware Men’s Shorts & Jeans (Size 29-34) Men’s Boxer Briefs (M, L) Men’s & Women’s Belts Women’s Underwear (5-7) Body Wash (Large Bottles) Razors Laundry Pods/Detergent (High Efficiency) Sleeping Bags Tents Cots

Other local non-profits are accepting donations to service those they help as they too are making changes to help this growing need.

"Katy Cares extended our service model to connect more single led families to the therapeutic help that we offer as part of our program in residence," says Dr. Dawid Pieterse, Katy Cares President. "We know that more single mothers are experiencing isolation and related challenges and are committed to offer a integrated response and accessibility to our program from shelter in place."

They are also offering tele-talks to help women through difficult situations and depression.

Call Katy Cares at 832-942-8441.

To help these single mothers, Katy Cares seeks donations, volunteers, and sponsors. To help, visit the Katy Cares website.