10/5/11
GROVER BEACH - There are almost 4,000 people in San Luis Obispo County without permanent housing and nearly half of them are children.
There could soon be a one stop shop to help those in need. It's called the South County Community Services Center, a twenty thousand square foot facility.
Recently, the San Luis Obispo Community Foundation received a one point five million dollar gift from an Oceano couple to address homelessness. Now the organization is trying to acquire a location to build the facility.
Its purpose is to get people back on their feet with job training, career assistance, health clinic, daily meals, support to purchase housing and other support agency offices.
The Foodbank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County is also play a big part in this. "It's a huge opportunity, you know whenever non profits can collaborate together," says Carl Hansen, executive director of the Foodbank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County. "They can work more efficiently and more effectively and we envision the Foodbank has an opportunity for people who are homeless to get job experience to get opportunities to learn about nutrition and are there to receive the services that will also be offered by the other agencies."
The new facility will also create a new food distribution warehouse and food pantry. "There are all kinds of people in the county who are falling into poverty, lost their jobs and are potentially going to lose their home. So this is an opportunity for people to come and take part in the services we provide, get some job training, some education and get back on their feet," says Kathy Matsuyama, spokesperson for the South County Community Services Center.
It's estimated that six and a half million dollars will be needed to acquire the site, to construct it and to operate the facility for four years. With the in kind contribution they still need five million dollars.
