A Homeless Outreach Success
The Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) is a team of specialized officers that collaborate with mental health care coordinators to engage in street outreach to the homeless community by offering shelter, aid, and assistance.
Pictured above: Jesus in front of the dumpster he lived behind for nine years
Officer G. Alaniz of the Homeless Outreach Team (H.O.T.) was conducting outreach near the area of Runnels and Lockwood when he came upon a homeless man sitting on a bench. The man sat at the intersection alone minding his own business. The man’s appearance of homelessness attracted the attention of Officer Alaniz and the Homeless Outreach Team. Officer Alaniz began to ask the man questions regarding being homeless including if HOT could assist in getting him connected to services. The man was puzzled and was not sure why Officer Alaniz was asking questions; he subsequently declined.
Later that month, Officer Alaniz noticed the same man behind a dumpster at a nearby restaurant. Once again, Officer Alaniz and the team engaged the man, after learning from restaurant employees that his name was Jesus and the restaurant dumpster had been his home for over nine years. Officer Alaniz also learned that Jesus was very proud and was unwilling to accept help from anyone.
Nevertheless, Officers Alaniz and Dhooper made it their mission to follow up with Jesus every chance they could. As the months passed, they built a trusting relationship with Jesus and helped him acquire his personal identification through Operation I.D. The team assisted Jesus with obtaining a copy of his birth certificate, a social security card and a mailing address. In addition, the two officers noticed that Jesus always looked forward to having lunch at “Martha’s Kitchen.” So, they gave Jesus a bicycle so he could ride to Martha’s Kitchen and enjoy lunch Monday through Friday.
As they grew to know Jesus better, the team learned that Jesus had lost his mother and brothers, had only one sister still living, and his closest living relative was an Aunt in Houston. While living on the streets, at one point Jesus was beaten so severely he was left with a speech impediment that made him sound intoxicated and difficult to understand. There are many reasons why individuals choose to live on the streets, Jesus was no different. The loss of loved ones coupled with the loss of communication created emotional barriers for him, making him reluctant to seek or accept help and ultimately kept him homeless.
With time, Jesus began to accept more services, like healthcare from the Homeless clinic. During an examination, a doctor noticed a rock lodged in Jesus’ ear and removed it. Jesus also received dental work. He eventually became more agreeable to additional services and received a post office box and a free eye exam. The eye exam revealed that Jesus had cataracts and surgery would be needed to improve his vision.
Jesus trusted HOT enough to stay temporarily at the Star of Hope, then later transition to more permanent housing where he began to receive his Social Security Benefits. He underwent further testing and it was determined that, because of the beating he had endured, he needed housing in a long term care facility. Now, with the assistance provided by the Homeless Outreach Team, Jesus has been permanently housed since October of 2019, and he has been connected with a care facility that helps him with his needs.
Pictured above: Officers Dhooper and Alaniz with Jesus to celebrate his success.
