FAQs About Homelessness

Homelessness is a situation in which anyone may find him- or herself. It does not define someone nor speak to who they are. Homelessness in Central Oregon is much the same as the rest of the nation except in that the urban/rural interface is much more accessible in this area. If forced to, an individual can successfully, though illegally, camp out during clement weather and still have access to the urban environment. It is important to remember that many of the homeless work very hard to make sure you have no clue they are without a fixed abode. The shabbily dressed man on the corner represents only a fraction of those who are homeless in our community.

At a basic level a person experiencing homelessness is a mother, father, sister, brother, son daughter, uncle or aunt. There are as many ways to become homeless as there are people experiencing homelessness. The homeless include singles and families with children of all ages. Substance abuse, mental health issues and physical disabilities may be contributors but an economic system that encourages a boom and a bust cycle plays a role as well. There is also a great need to increase the affordable housing stock in all the communities of Central Oregon.

Part of truly helping is being part of a sustainable solution. Standing on a corner panhandling for the whole day may put some money in the pocket but it does not address the need to move forward. Not to put too fine a point on it, you just can’t know what kinds of resources a person panhandling has access to. In either case it is best not to give money. If you feel the need to help carry fast food gift cards in your car.

Hopefully not. While we cannot prevent someone from exercising their rights, they are expected to be using this opportunity to work on their plan towards self-sufficiency.

Bethlehem Inn has strict requirements such as a curfew and drug and alcohol testing. There are many who are not yet ready to accept our kind of assistance. Some don’t know about the services or have deep misconceptions about us and just follow the lead of others. And there are, of course, those who choose homelessness as way of life.

To many, these are the only friends or family that they have left. Dogs never judge. Dogs are loyal and represent unconditional love. Those who camp rely on them for protection, warning and in cold weather an important source of warmth. Unfortunately, since most homeless shelters cannot offer shelter to pets for liability and health reasons, they choose to stay with their pets rather than abandon them. If someone seeking shelter has a service animal, they must fill out a reasonable accommodation request PRIOR to coming to us for services. If you want to help people on the street with pets, food and water would be greatly appreciated.

Many of our volunteers have full-time jobs. You don’t need to spend much time to have an impact. An hour here, meal there and of course financial donations are all appreciated.

Think of running your home or business: utilities, lease payments, insurance and payroll (for our small but dedicated staff). It is important to understand that having a paid, trained and dedicated staff is the only way a 24/7 organization like Bethlehem Inn can operate.

Residents are required to be off-site Monday-Friday 8:30-4:00. During that time they are to be working on the plan outlined for them to help them becoming self-sufficient. On the weekend they have chores to do around the Inn such as cleaning the facilities, doing laundry, etc.

Be aware that those experiencing homelessness are eligible for food stamps, which can only be used to buy food. A Safeway, or any other type of gift card, does not come with restrictions—meaning your well-intentioned gift may be used to buy non-essentials like alcohol.

The Inn has two buildings on its campus. The Next Steps building provides shelter for up to 112 single individuals.

The Families First building provides housing for up to 10 families. This building also contains our commercial kitchen and two separate dining areas for families and single adults.

No. The Inn started in the various churches in Bend but has since become an independent operation without an explicit religious mission. In this way we are different from the vast number of homeless shelters in this country. Many of our volunteers and donations come from a wide range of faith-based sources but the staff is required not to proselytize to residents.

No. Residents are not asked to pay for any of the services they receive while staying at the Inn.

Because we do not have a commercial kitchen, which would allow us to cook large volumes of food, nearly half of our evening meals are prepared off-site by volunteers and brought in to be served. Many of these generous individuals and groups supply all of the elements of the meal but for those who cannot provide the food but want to cook, they may come and shop in our pantry. Some of our meal providers choose a fixed day each month while others participate in “Adopt-a-Week,” providing dinner for 7 nights in a row.

To become a resident at the Inn, you must be able to pass an alcohol and drug test. There are other restrictions enforced because of the presence of children on the premises such as sex offender status. Our goal is to create a safe and secure environment for both residents and staff.

We respect the privacy of our residents and therefore limit the interaction between them and non-residents. If you have a specific way you would like to help, please contact the staff and they will help you determine the best thing to do. One excellent option is to contribute to the Resident Assistance Fund, described below.

This is a real problem that is generally overlooked. For example, someone needing prescription medicines usually doesn’t have the funds to pay for them. Same with those who need to have documentation such as birth certificates replaced. Sometimes the only thing standing between a resident moving out and getting their own place might be a deposit or fee of some sort. Up until recently, the Inn’s staff was digging into their own pockets to help meet these needs. However, there is now a fund that was started by a volunteer to provide assistance as it is needed.

At the end of every January, the Homeless Leadership Coalition conducts a 24-hour One Night Shelter Count in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties. A large number of volunteers and agencies interview all of the homeless they can find in a 24-hour period. It is during this process that the demographics are compiled. This information is published a few weeks later in the newspaper.

The minimum age to stay on your own at the Inn is 18 years. Under that age, a minor must be part of our Family First program.

Thanks to some great volunteers and agencies, our residents have access to monthly legal aid, haircuts as well as medical and dental care. We also offer a part-time mental health worker on site.

Upon arrival, the individual or family must meet with a case manager who will take down vital information and take a photo during what is called “intake”. Prospective residents must pass drug and alcohol testing. Rules and regulations of the Inn are reviewed. Soon after intake, the resident goes through assessment, which results in developing a specific plan to help the person get back on track toward self-sufficiency.

Volunteering comes in many forms, many of which are great for families and friends to do together. You can prepare a meal and bring it in to serve, have a neighborhood garage sale, or collect redeemable cans and bottles. Instead of spending a lot of money at Christmas for gifts, it might be better to help those experiencing homelessness get back on their feet and resume a normal, productive life.