Topeka organizations push back against homelessness

TOPEKA (KSNT)- Homelessness continues to be a problem across Topeka and a few local organizations are trying to get to the bottom of it.

The Family Service and Guidance Center says looking into what may cause homelessness begins at a young age.

“Now that fentanyl is hitting Kansas, and opioids… that’s going to drive crime, homelessness, theft, lots of things in our community,” said Family Service and Guidance Center CEO Kathy Mosher.

Topekans have seen the homeless population growth over the years, but the idea of who is considered homeless may be broader than you think.

“Quite a few people that we would call homeless, just don’t have an address,” said Valeo CEO Bill Persinger. “Staying with someone for a few days, they’re in and out, they have a camper they’re living in, or a car, they have some sort of shelter, but they are still unsheltered.”

Valeo says one effort to help these individuals is through the Mobile Access Partnership. The center travels around Topeka and will set up shop in a parking lot or at the Salvation Army. People can shower and sign up for necessary resources without being questioned about their living status.

“We do serve a lot of people who are homeless but we don’t make people provide proof of residence or lack of proof of residence,” Persinger said. “If they walk up and they look like they’re hurting, and they need help, we help them.”

Valeo says, teams also go out two to three times a week to have one-on-one conversations with the homeless individuals to provide any further resources. But for Valeo, it boils down to one simple reason.

“If our mission is to be available to people, and to reach out, and make sure people know we are there,” Persinger said. “The people that have the least capacity to receive help, if we can reach those folks, then we can reach everybody else, so try and tackle the hard job first.”

Valeo is also working on providing housing vouchers or contacting landlords across Shawnee County to see if they can provide some sort of shelter while people get back on their feet.