COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) - The Project Assistance to Transition from Homelessness (PATH) Conference began in Columbus on Tuesday morning with a kickoff event at Safehouse Ministries. According to Drew Johnson, a Case Manager at Safehouse Ministries, there are currently a total of 244 homeless individuals in Columbus.
The kickoff event provided the homeless in the community with several free services and items like haircuts and feminine products. Homeless individuals also had the opportunity to register in the homeless database that provides them with information about the resources available in the community.
According to Meredith McGowan, the Behavioral Health Hospital Transition Specialist with the Department of Behavioral Health of Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), there are PATH teams all over the state standing down to homelessness.
“There are resources available and there are ways that everybody can help. What we want to do is be in the community and hear what the homeless population needs and collaborate with all of the community partners to provide those services,” said McGowan.
During the two-day conference, homeless individuals can participate in workshops and seek different resources like mental health and substance abuse services. The Georgia Department of Public Health will also be administering Flu and COVID-19 vaccines in their mobile unit.
The event made it possible for individuals like Raymond Ness to seek resource assistance in the community.
Ness is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and walked for over four months before eventually stopping in Columbus. Ness said he was so grief stricken after the passing of his wife and son following a fatal car accident that he just began to walk without a destination.
“After the wreck I just couldn’t be at home,” said Ness.
Ness said he left all his belongings behind in Ohio and does not currently have a vehicle or home and he intends to travel back to California where he is originally from. When Ness spoke to WRBL he was missing some funds for the bus ticket back to California. After hearing Ness’ story, a minister at Safehouse Ministries donated to his travel fund and Ness will be returning to his home.
“I’m grateful everybody is here today because it allows us to open our eyes and see that there are opportunities for us. We don’t have to just feel useless or like we don’t exist, we’re not invisible,” said Ness.
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