County’s Homeless Need More Helpers; Perceptions Cloud Opinions of Many

CREST HAVEN – “The homeless population in Cape May County is growing,” Denise Venturini told freeholders Jan. 13. She told the board of her work with faith-based organizations doing what they can to assist that segment of the population, “But they are tapped out financially and emotionally with no hope in sight.”
Part of the population increase, is “trickle-down effect” from casino closings in Atlantic City, she said. Some of those homeless are veterans, she added. “Some are living on the street in this cold weather, living in tents behind (Rio Grande) Wal-Mart, any place they can find a safe haven.”
The Homeless Point-In-Time Survey is performed annually by the county. Results of this year’s survey should be available by month’s end, stalled when a state of emergency was declared Jan. 27 and offices closed.
The 2014 survey revealed the county had 210 homeless individuals. There were also 35 homeless families with dependent children, adding 96, for a total 306.
Venturini approached the board in the hope of partnering with “good citizens in this county” who are already actively working to minimize the impact this has on this (homeless) population.”
Having contacted Sen. Jeff VanDrew (D-1st) about the problem, she said he advised presenting the matter to freeholders, “to reiterate I am sure what you already know,” Venturini said.
“We would like to partner, we are ready with our sleeves rolled up, already active working with this population,” she continued. “We need help, a task force,” she said, to supply the homeless with blankets, food and water to ensure they survive the winter. She reminded the board, “We have no emergency shelter in Cape May County.” We are up against some pretty hefty odds,” Venturini continued.
She had already spoken with officials from Atlantic City Rescue Mission, she noted, and “he is very interested in helping along with the process so we can stand strong in this fight against homelessness.”
Dialog Has Started
Freeholder Kristine Gabor, who oversees county Health and Human Services, reassured Venturini that by going before the board, she had started a dialog on the subject. Gabor was anxious to meet further with Venturini and her associates to get help started.
Tom Marchetti of Stone Harbor was next to underscore what had just been stated. He said he works in Wildwood and knows buildings where homeless are sheltered. “I eat, sleep and breathe this homeless situation. My phone will go ballistic with the homeless hotline, my team will be on the other end,” he said. He rehearsed the current Code Blue Alert criteria of getting homeless inside warm shelters when temperatures dip below 25 degrees and weather is clear or 32 degrees with precipitation.
On any Monday, Marchetti said “We will transport them (homeless) to Social Services (in Rio Grande.) These people are usually good people who really need the help. They get help from us; they don’t get help from Social Services.”
Working the System
Marchetti alleged that the present homeless housing program is fueling Wildwood’s drug problem; he said many on the program aren’t as needy as some of the true homeless. Regardless, they get food stamp credit cards and $1,500 a month in housing benefits, he said.
“When they need benefits they know how to get into the system,” he said. “Tomorrow, I can introduce you to 10 active drug dealers who are getting Social Services money. They collect Social Service benefits and use it as drug dealing money,” he said.
Marchetti said he goes into area tent cities, introduces himself, and asks if the homeless are veterans, and then does what he can to help. “My team does this on a daily basis. Every time we go to Rio Grande and Wildwood there is an endless amount of people,” he said.
Some are “not the most honest people,” he offered, “But some are good people who have little kids. There are people living behind Wal-Mart. That is their home tonight in 30-some degree weather,” Marchetti said.
He cited a woman living under the Wildwood boardwalk with two children but did not elaborate.
A private agency, Family Promise in Lower Township, offers aid for homeless families, but it has strict regulations on admission. Those rules don’t permit alcohol and drugs. Because it takes no government funds, the organization can abide by its own rules.
Many Potential Helpers
Marchetti said “there are tons” of agencies and organizations willing to help the homeless, but there is no way to convey their individual messages of aid to the homeless.
“The last time I was in tent city, there were no newspapers, there were no cell phones, there’s no TV,” he said. He urged that one-on-one communication was the way to inform those homeless of services available to them.
“They need a guy to come out there and say ‘Hey, this is what’s available if you need anything. We don’t have that,” he continued.
“We just need five or six people to care, to volunteer, to go out a couple of hours in the morning, a couple hours at night. I know the places, I know the times to collect the people,” he said.
“If we bring them to Social Services, if one of you guys walked into Social Services, I guarantee that they get housed,” he continued.
Social Services “are so crowded with all the same people who have been on it forever,” he alleged.
Marchetti said if Cape May County was intent to change the homeless situation by that one-on-one personal contact, “Cape May County would be driving the State of New Jersey because we could say we’re going to do it. Get guys out there who truly are those homeless people.”
“I do, every day, make a difference. I don’t want a pat on the back or acknowledgement.
What I want is people to stand up and say ‘You are right. That is how you make a difference,’” he continued.
A veteran, Marchetti said he well knows, “The grunts are the ones who get that done. We need that in this county. Cape May County can show the rest of the state how to clean up the homeless. We don’t have to be a statistic.”
Part of the Problem
Gabor acknowledged Marchetti’s point that many who receive housing assistance aren’t truly the ones who need help. “That’s part of the problem. We all know the system is broken; it doesn’t operate the way it should. We have people that have learned to manipulate the system. They get in the way of the people who truly do need and deserve that help.”
“We have no form of drug testing requirements in the state,” Gabor said. “We have federal and state that have sent down rules, guidelines and paperwork and new computer systems, and a lot of restrictions on what we can do and giving up a lot of extra work, and not giving us money to hire more help,” she continued.
Battling Perceptions
According to Sabrina Hand, Human Services Advisory Council coordinator, there is a perception “that we have a great deal of unsheltered homeless. We don’t have the numbers other places have. In the past couple years; we have three or four unsheltered homeless. At least we have sheltered the homeless.”
Citing 2014 data, Hand said the largest percentage in 2014 of homeless locally were males, age 18-29, which accounted for 55 percent while females accounted for 45 percent.
She estimated there was a greater concentration of homeless in the lower part of the county. She said they were not concentrated in one area.
Most homeless are from this area, Hand said. She pointed to the last survey of homeless, and said most
who answered gave an in-county address as their last permanent residence. There is some, but not many, from the Philadelphia and Atlantic City area, she said.
Hand pointed to Cape Counseling outreach workers Alex Price and Chris Chambers who do a great deal to help and work with the homeless.
“We are doing everything we can. First people have to want the help, and we are fighting a funding battle, “Hand said. Perceptions get in the way but we are fighting the good fight,” said Hand.
Veterans Transitional Housing
The state’s Veterans Transitional Housing Program has Veterans Haven, a three-story, 100-bed facility in Winslow, on the Atlantic-Camden counties border. It serves veterans from throughout the state.
After being medically evaluated at a VA Medical Center, eligible veterans must agree to a long-term program that focuses on psychological, social and vocational rehabilitation.
It offers a drug and alcohol-free program and residents must abide by its zero-tolerance rule while enrolled.
Random tests are given for both drug and alcohol. Violators are immediately, involuntarily discharged from its program.
While it offers those services to a maximum 100, the state estimates there are between 7,000 and 8,000 military veterans living within its 21 counties.
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