{"id":313493,"date":"2022-07-19T09:01:39","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T16:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/?p=313493"},"modified":"2022-07-19T08:56:00","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T15:56:00","slug":"the-compass-station-in-pacific-beach-making-a-difference-for-homeless-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/the-compass-station-in-pacific-beach-making-a-difference-for-homeless-people\/","title":{"rendered":"The Compass Station in Pacific Beach making a difference for homeless people"},"content":{"rendered":"

Setting up a drop-in resource center serving the unhoused in Pacific Beach was something of a gamble.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it going to get done? Are we going to be able to pull this off?\u201d were two questions Caryn Blanton of Shoreline Community Services asked herself before The Compass Station opened recently serving the unsheltered, offering numerous services under one roof at 1004 Chalcedony St.<\/p>\n

Added Blanton: \u201cI kept saying, \u2018We\u2019re going to go forward.\u2019 But I had no idea of what to expect. I didn\u2019t know if two people were going to come (a day), or 30 people \u2013 or 1,000.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blanton is pleased to report that it turned out to be in-between those extremes. \u201cWe had 12 on the first day,\u201d she said.\u201dWe\u2019re continuing to see 12 to 15 people a day. I expect that to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blanton presented a list of how many unsheltered reported to the drop-in center during its first month of existence, and what they did while there.<\/p>\n

There were 361 total visits from guests during the first month consisting of 22 nurse appointments, 100 loads of laundry done, 139 guests charging their electronic devices, 60 guests using computers, 25 guests got showers, eight guests were given mental and behavioral services from the County, 17 received County benefit services, 27 took advantage of mail acceptance, one person and one family were reunited, five people were given identification vouchers, six people recovered their birth certificates, and three were connected with the Veterans Administration.<\/p>\n

Blanton noted that PATH homeless services, Family Health Services, and San Diego Police Department\u2019s Homeless Outreach Team drop in the center on a weekly basis supplementing the staff of 20 volunteers, known as guides, who assist the homeless in accessing services available to them.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Caryn Blanton of Shoreline Community Services and Leah Pitt, a guide at The Compass Station, a homeless resource center in Pacific Beach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The new all-purpose center is in a shared space with God\u2019s Garage and is a collaboration between nonprofit Shoreline Community Services and two Pacific Beach churches \u2013 Christ Lutheran Church, and St. Andrew\u2019s By-the-Sea. The revamped facility is used for AA and NA meetings before and after Shoreline Community Services is there operating the resource center on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cChrist Lutheran Church, which owns the property, has been a great supporter of the work Shoreline Community Services is doing,\u201d noted Blanton of the origin of Compass. \u201cThe church\u2019s pastor David Nagler and I had been in conversations for six-plus years, talking about things that could be good to have in our neighborhood, things that would enhance it as far as helping our unhoused neighbors.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of those things we felt was needed was a drop-in resource center. And, as most things go, when the timing is right, and the right people are around the table, things just fall into place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blanton said converting the space on Chalcedony for co-use was a real undertaking. \u201cIt was like going back to the 1960s,\u201d she said of the previous d\u00e9cor. \u201cIt was like old institutional. It was horrible.\u201d<\/p>\n

But she was able to find construction management firms willing to do an estimated $40,000 worth of pro-bono restoration work.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just a great collaboration,\u201d she said. \u201cThey did it in-between two big projects and they gave me a 14-day work schedule and they finished under time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since Compass opened, Blanton has been busy making sure volunteers staffing it are properly trained. She said she will oversee that until she is convinced \u201cthey can man the fort without me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blanton added the next move is to expand the facility\u2019s ability to provide employment for the unsheltered by finding apprenticeship and workforce programs out in the community. \u201cEmployment is so important for the unhoused, because it gives meaning to life, gives a person a reason to get up, gives you confidence and self-esteem and dignity,\u201d noted Blanton.<\/p>\n

What is the key to giving the homeless a hand-up?<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, it\u2019s not hard to get somebody into the system,\u201d answered Blanton. \u201cThat\u2019s the easy part. But there are no homes to put people in. And so my messaging to community members and businesses has changed a lot. It\u2019s gone from, \u2018Let\u2019s try to get people housing.\u2019 to \u2018what are we going to do with them while they\u2019re waiting for housing?\u2019 It\u2019s a long wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the meantime, Blanton said Shoreline Community Services is \u201chere to make sure people are being cared for with compassion and with equity. Compass is a place where you can do your laundry, charge your phone, and use the computers. But our main purpose is to get them off the street, whatever it takes, and find whoever we need to connect them with.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next \u201creally\u201d big step to resolving homelessness isn\u2019t hard to guess. \u201cWhat is going to solve the problem is not a mystery,\u201d Blanton said. \u201cWe need more affordable and low-income housing. It\u2019s a matter of how complete we can make things (housing) happen to get people in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Giti de Marie, a guide at The Compass Station, shows a sign-in sheet for guests to get services provided at the new Pacific Beach facility.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Basic services and dignity for the unsheltered are offered at The Compass Station<\/strong><\/p>\n

Giti de Marie, who welcomes people receiving services at The Compass Station for the unsheltered in Pacific Beach, recalled the first person who stepped through the new facility\u2019s door a month ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a 91-year-old vet who was about to be homeless \u2013 and it was just really shattering,\u201d de Marie said. \u201cHe was really lost. So we got the VA on it right away. I\u2019ll just never forget that. So many people don\u2019t realize how lucky they are not to be put in this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

By noon on a weekday at the homeless services center at 1004 Chalcedony St., which opens at 10 a.m., 20 clients had already come in for \u201cshower day.\u201d Shower day is held on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, as well as other services that are provided.<\/p>\n

\u201cI greet people as they come in and sign them in for whatever services they might need,\u201d de Marie said of her role. \u201cThey bring in their laundry. We can do one load a week. When we\u2019re not busy, we\u2019re very happy to do a second load.\u201d<\/p>\n

De Marie has been volunteering to help homeless people since age 17. \u201cIt started out as a class project and just spoke to my heart,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great networking community here,\u201d said another Compass guide, Mirranda Boshart, who added, \u201cEverything is running more smoothly than I had predicted. It is being used more.\u201d<\/p>\n

The center for the unsheltered is almost like a home for guests living out of their vehicles, like Dawn Abbyson. \u201cI came to get a shower and my laundry done,\u201d said Abbyson, who has two dogs and a camper but, she said, \u201cno place for it (camper) right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Discussing everyday problems confronting the homeless, Abbyson said: \u201cIt\u2019s very rough. There are not too many bathrooms that you can go to. In restaurants, you have to punch a keypad. And unless you buy something, you can\u2019t get that.\u201d<\/p>\n

As far as taking showers at public beach facilities goes, Abbyson pointed out, \u201cThe worst thing is it\u2019s \u2018cold,\u2019 and that’s a little hard. \u201cI\u2019m thankful. But I wish there were more of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abbyson is getting information to fulfill her ambition of becoming a massage therapist, which she said requires 200 hours of training to get certified.<\/p>\n

Leah Pitt, 59, is also a guide who volunteers twice a week at Compass. She has very personal reasons for being there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m dual-diagnosed, I am a recovering addict, plus I have a mental illness,\u201d said Pitt, a PB native. \u201cI kind of got double-whammied. I like to help people who are dual-diagnosed. I like to tell them my story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pitt was in her late 40s when, she said, “My other half died. In one day, I lost everything pretty much. I went to a friend I\u2019d known since kindergarten who was homeless. I didn\u2019t know what to do. He showed me. I didn\u2019t leave his van for four months. I was just petrified.\u201d<\/p>\n

After becoming homeless, Pitt said, \u201cMy sister and son didn\u2019t talk to me. That hurt me more than anything. I had to pick myself up all by myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of how she was able to get off drugs and the street, Pitt noted: \u201cI was just tired. I stopped thinking of the past. I wanted a solution for my future. I wanted to know who I was really. I found the solution in being the best Leah I can be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recently, Pitt received federal HUD Section 8 status, which will allow her to get into housing. \u201cBeing unsettled for so long has been a learning experience,\u201d she admitted. \u201cIt\u2019s made me realize how very grateful I am to get settled. I have so many goals, As soon as I get settled, I want to go back to school and do a lot of other things I\u2019ve been putting off. I\u2019m so excited.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guide de Marie, who lives in senior housing nearby, pointed out Compass provides numerous resources including nurses and mental health practitioners. It\u2019s all done in a casual, comforting, non-threatening way. \u201cSome people come in just for the movies, or to chill, and then they eventually ask about the services that are provided,\u201d de Marie said adding, \u201cThere haven\u2019t been any big problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

After just one month, those working at The Compass Station agree that it has been a marvelous and noble experiment and one that has worked.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see it come together, it just really tickles me,\u201d said de Marie.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is such a large undertaking. And it is already smoother (running) than one would think,\u201d concurred guide Boshart.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can come out of this shining \u2013 you can do it,\u201d concluded Pitt, about being homeless and taking advantage of government services collaborating with others.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Setting up a drop-in resource center serving the unhoused in Pacific Beach was something of a gamble. \u201cIs it going to get done? Are we going to be able to pull this off?\u201d were two questions Caryn Blanton of Shoreline Community Services asked herself before The Compass Station opened recently serving the unsheltered, offering numerous […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":840,"featured_media":313494,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11559","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"\u201cIs it going to get done? Are we going to be able to pull this off?\u201d were two questions Caryn Blanton of Shoreline Community Services asked herself before The Compass Station opened recently serving the unsheltered, offering numerous services under one roof at 1004 Chalcedony St.","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"source_name":"","source_url":"","via_name":"","via_url":"","override_template":"0","override":[{"template":"3","single_blog_custom":"","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"1","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","show_zoom_button":"1","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"1","show_post_related":"1","show_inline_post_related":"0"}],"override_image_size":"0","image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post":"0","trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post":"0","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","sponsored_post_name":"","sponsored_post_url":"","sponsored_post_logo_enable":"0","sponsored_post_logo":"","sponsored_post_desc":"","disable_ad":"0"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":""},"jnews_social_meta":{"fb_title":"","fb_description":"","fb_image":"","twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":""},"jnews_override_counter":{"override_view_counter":"0","view_counter_number":"0","override_share_counter":"0","share_counter_number":"0","override_like_counter":"0","like_counter_number":"0","override_dislike_counter":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[11559,11550],"tags":[12755,12543,13107,13104,13652],"class_list":["post-313493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beach-bay-press","category-top-stories","tag-homeless","tag-pacific-beach","tag-shoreline-community-services","tag-the-compass-station","tag-veterans-administration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/840"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=313493"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313493\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/313494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=313493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=313493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=313493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}