Oneida County Families

On Wednesday, July 27, teams spread out across Oneida, Vilas, Forest and Langlade counties for the semi-annual Point In Time survey of homelessness in the Northwoods. Although homelessness in rural communities – especially communities with cold climates like ours – often doesn’t look like what we think of as “stereotypical” homelessness, that doesn’t mean there aren’t people living in places not meant for human habitation in Rhinelander, Eagle River, Antigo, Minocqua or other towns in our region.

So, twice a year, along with communities across the state and the nation, we count the number of people known to be living in temporary housing and then do our best to try to find individuals who are living on the streets, even for just one night.

This is the third time teams have gone out around midnight on the last Wednesday of the month of January and July in Rhinelander, Eagle River, Minocqua and Antigo. Over the last 18 months we have also been collecting anecdotes and tips from police, the public and even some formerly homeless themselves as to where to look and what we might expect to find. We also make a concerted effort to let the community know that we will be doing this through press releases.

The last press release caught at least one eye. The Friday before we were heading out on our most recent count, I recieved a phone call at my office. The caller announced himself by saying, “I read your news release in the paper. I was homeless in Rhinelander and I wanted to tell you my story.”

The caller proceeded to tell a story, and while details vary, the theme has become shockingly familiar since the opening of the homeless shelters in Crandon and Rhinelander. He was attempting to be a hard working, contributing citizen when a less-than honest employer wrote him three bad paychecks in a row. Without this money he was unable to pay his rent and was evicted. He had limited job skills, but was able to find some part-time employment, but didn’t make enough to afford a new place to stay. So he spent the nights sleeping under a bridge and hanging out in places reading a magazine and pretending he was waiting to be picked up by a friend. He also spent time at the Job Center looking for new job opportunities. He was dead set determined not to ask for help from a government assistance program, though he might have gone to a homeless shelter had there been one.

He did his best to avoid the police, but on one encounter they threatened him with arrest if they found him in his spot again. For him, that was the tipping point- he went to NEWCAP the next day and was enrolled in a program to help him secure housing. His struggles didn’t end there, but over the course of the next several years he worked with the system, and is now happily employed and resides in a simple home with access to the library books he loves, a television and even air conditioning.

As he said, “I was by myself. I don’t know what I would have done if I had a family to take care of.”

Homelessness in Northern Wisconsin has more frequently been the tale of somebody working a full-time job and getting by – until that job disappears. Or a house being foreclosed on after a family goes underwater on a mortgage. Or a family/relationship breaking up, leaving half with no place to go. Survival comes down to who you know, your survival skills and how lucky you are. Landlords talk about how if a renter fails to pay rent in the winter months, the landlord will eat the cost of the lost rent rather than evict a family out into the snow. Relatives and friends “double up” in a house or apartment to save costs. Those with vehicles will park in a driveway or down a country road – or in the summer, move into a campground. And the unluckiest turn to the streets.

That is why our groups went out to see if we could find anybody sleeping in a place that was wasn’t meant to be “home.” We learn new things each time we go out – including places I would or definitely would not stay if I were in need of shelter.

This time – our third time – was the first time our teams did encounter an individual who didn’t have anywhere else to go for the night – and would admit to it. The team was able to give him a Salvation Army hotel voucher so he didn’t need to sleep on the floor and talk about what he might do next. They also learned more from night managers at 24 hour shopping centers and other people who encounter people who don’t have a place to go at night.

A team also learned something about law enforcement – make sure you remind them of what you are doing the day of an event. Otherwise you might spend an hour or so in your car, surrounded by flashing lights.

Hopefully in the future we will have law enforcement as active partners in the process, and not just as occasional advisers and people to send license plate numbers to. And hopefully we will continue to learn more about how to help people who need a bed and a bit of help at a rough point in their life.

In my last post, I talked about the recent report highlighting the exploding obesity epidemic in the United States. But it turns out “F” is for more than “Fat” – it’s also for “Food Insecurity.”

“Food Security” describes the situation when a family or individual has enough to eat and does not live in fear of hunger or, worse, starvation. Ironically, if you compare maps of the most highly food insecure regions of the United States, there are regions of the U.S. that overlap well with the most obese regions. 

How is it possible that the parts of the country where food appears to be the most scarce – meaning people suffer from hunger and a lack of food – are also the place where people are the most overweight, an indication of consuming too much food?

Once again, it highlights just what a complex issue obesity is.

One perspective is that is not about too much or too little food, more it’s about the  quality of food available to consume. In the United States, some of our most populated areas are “food deserts” with extremely limited access to a traditional market or grocery store where fresh or raw foods are available. Or fresh food and produce cost far more than the relativley unhealthy options. People in these areas are left to eat mainly processed foods or conveience/fast foods. People load up on “empty” calories – it is entirely possible to be overweight and malnourished at the same time.

Individual behavior regarding diet and exercise only plays a small part in the overall obesity picture. From a true public health standpoint, obesity needs to be viewed through the lens of the local environment (what foods are accessible and at what price?) and the policy that governs the availablility of the food. Is it illegal to plant a garden in an abandoned lot? Is there no public transportation to help people get to and from a fully-stocked grocery store? Do zoning regulations prohibit a small farm, a garden, raising chickens, a grocery store, or walking/biking pathways in certain areas?

What are the barriers to health in your community? Is it the lack of facilities for exercise during the cold, dark months of winter? Is it that soda is cheaper than flavored water in your office vending machine? Is it that your office mates keep bringing donuts to work instead of fruit trays? Is it that you fear for your life if you try biking down your heavily trafficked street?

There aren’t many easy answers, but as long as we’re not looking for a single  golden answer, we’re at least on the right path.

With the Sunday tornado in Merrill making this all fresh in our minds, we’re entering into that exciting thunderstorm and severe weather season in Wisconsin. Do the members of your family know what to do in case of a severe storm?

This week, April 11-15, is Wisconsin Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week. Fortunately there were only minor injuries in Lincoln County after the April 10 tornado. Knowing what to do when severe weather comes goes a long way to preventing serious injury or death in a storm.

BE PREPARED

• Conduct tornado drills each tornado season.

 Designate an area in your home as a shelter and practice having everyone in the family go there in response to a tornado threat. A basement, storm cellar or lowest level of your home is best. If there is no basement, use an inner hallway or a small inner room without a window, such as a bathroom or a closet.

• If you live in a mobile home, plan to take shelter in another building with a strong foundation.

Some mobile home parks provide shelter for residents. If your park does not have a community shelter, consult with the management and request that one be provided.

•  Know the difference between a “tornado watch” and a “tornado warning.”

a) A tornado watch is issued by the National Weather Service when weather conditions are such that tornadoes are likely to develop. When a watch is announced, you should listen to the radio or television for further developments; keep a battery-powered radio on hand in case electrical power is lost; and tie down loose objects outside or bring them inside.

 b) A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar. At this point, the danger is very serious and everyone should go to a safe place, turn on a battery-operated radio or television and wait for the “all clear” by the authorities.

•  Have emergency supplies on hand.

For a complete emergency kit checklist, visit Ready Wisconsin – Get a Kit.

• Develop an emergency communication plan.

In case family members are separated during a disaster because of work or school, choose a long-distance relative or friend to serve as the “family contact.” After a disaster, it is often easier to call long-distance than to make a local call. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address and phone number of the contact person.

 To create your own personalized plan, visit Ready Wisconsin – Make a Plan for an interactive online planner.

Spring is here – enjoy it, but stay safe!!