About United
Outreach of El Dorado County
Members
of the Board
Reuben Jessop
Elizabeth Armstrong
Linda Gates
Craig Klatt
Beth Southorn
John Johnson
United Outreach of El Dorado County is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization under the leadership of its Board of Directors. All
members of the board are volunteers who are dedicated to
providing food and a safe, secure shelter for the homeless
people in our area.
Our Board is staffed by volunteers who come from different
backgrounds, some with technical and corporate experience, some
with non-profit corporation backgrounds, and others who are
clergy. All are dedicated to providing the help that homeless
people need to survive and become a contributing members of
society. We work with the County Human Services Department to
identify homeless families and individuals in Placerville and
the county who need our help.
Surveys done by the county, and records kept by United Outreach
since 2006, reveal that the homeless population of El Dorado
County is growing significantly. When we began in 2005 with our
nighttime shelter, around six clients would join us for one or
two evenings a week. The winter of 2007-2008 ended with a
maximum of 45 clients in each of the five evenings each week we
were open. During the six months of 2007-2008 operation, United
Outreach saw around 3500 check-ins come into their shelter.
However, there are many more homeless in the county than choose
to ask for our help.
According to the survey conducted in the spring of 2008, El
Dorado County found that in our county alone an estimated 344
people experience homelessness sometime during the year. On any
given night, an average of 231 people are homeless or without
stable housing. Our records indicate that nearly one third of
these are women and one tenth are children with approximately
15% being veterans. Recently, local school districts have noted
a significant increase in homeless children attending schools in
El Dorado County, identifying over 400 in 2009.
Homelessness affects our entire community. Businesses, schools,
churches, and individuals all feel the results of a population
without jobs, training or homes to live in. It is our intention
to do something about this situation, and hope that you will
join us in the effort. |
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