NAMI hosts event for homelessness awareness
By Nacogdoches Miller
Sun Intern
The Winchester chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), in partnership with the mental health courts, held a homelessness awareness event for mental health month.
As smoke moved out from the alley between the James Clark Judicial Center and the Clark County Constables office, Judge Earl-Ray Neal and County Attorney William Elkins could be found working the grill.
Two tables were set up; one held backpacks with toiletries, canned goods coupons and other supplies, the second dressed with food, where voluntaries were dishing it out to anyone who stopped by.
Set up along the sidewalk were booths from Mountain Comprehensive Care Center, bluegrass.org, Clark County Homeless Coalition, Skinnovations, Clark County Community Services, Beacon of Hope Emergency Shelter and Mental Health America.
Representatives were there with informative pamphlets and to answer questions about the services they provided.
“There is a connection between mental health issues and homelessness,” Judge Neal said.
The homelessness awareness event offered residents a chance to have a hot meal receive supplies and talk to someone about programs for mental health treatment or just helping them get back on their feet.
As residents flowed in and out through the day, community organizers cooked over 60 pounds of hamburger and 300 hot dogs to ensure no one would leave hungry.
This year’s event also handed out over 70 backpacks to help those in need.
“Homelessness in our community is kind of like mental health,” Neal said. “It is an issue that no one wants to talk about.”