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Like most successful enterprises, El Paso's Coalition for the Homeless began with a need and the determination to meet it. In the early 90s, staff from the City's Community Development Department, representatives of El Paso Community College, and the director of the Rescue Mission of El Paso met to discuss how the needs of the growing homeless population could best be met. The group asked for input from Andrew Short, then director of the Texas Homeless Network, who shared his insights on the benefits of collaboration and cooperation. That discussion sparked the idea for a coalition that could provide comprehensive support for the homeless people of El Paso. The Coalition for the Homeless was officially established in April of 1991.
Ray Tullius, who now serves as Director of the Coalition's Opportunity Center for the Homeless, was a catalyst for the original coalition effort. Then homeless and staying at a local rescue mission, Ray-a native of El Paso-was uniquely positioned to identify strengths and weaknesses in the city's homeless services. The few shelters available at that time rejected many families and individuals as undesirable, turning away single mothers and the mentally ill simply because they required special services that didn't exist. Lacking sufficient facilities to find refuge on brutal winter nights, homeless citizens often died of exposure while sleeping on the streets. But while Ray's compassion and strong will motivated him to find ways to correct the situation, he knew that he needed credentials to be heard by those who would support and fund his vision. So he enrolled at The University of Texas at El Paso to get a degree in social work. Ray's enthusiasm and his outspokenness earned the notice of the college's director, who, upon learning of Ray's desire to improve services to all of the city's homeless people, hired him as Grant Coordinator and secured a Carl Perkins grant to fund his vision quest. Within a year, Ray had obtained office space under the Single Room Occupancy Program, which provides rental assistance under Section 441 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Thirteen years later, the Coalition's Opportunity Center has become, as Ray puts it, "a place of last resort" where all the homeless are welcome and have access to specialized care.
The Coalition's mission-to aid homeless individuals in becoming independent and to help those who cannot help themselves-is met by social services, grants, a support system for the homeless, and the intelligence gathered through regular needs assessments. Because the City of El Paso had limited funding for homeless issues, the Coalition went to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) directly for assistance. In 1995, to the surprise of city staff and member agencies, the Coalition was awarded $1.3 million through HUD's Continuum of Care program to establish a resource center (the Opportunity Center), to expand its mental health outreach, and to develop employment programs in two different agencies. The Coalition also became administrator for El Paso's Continuum of Care program, which not only makes them unique but provides $4 million for housing and services to help the homeless transition into stable housing and self-sufficiency. Over the years, the money has allowed the Coalition to establish seven transitional living centers, a transportation system, a day care system for homeless children, and a legal clinic; mental health services have been expanded by providing outreach, creating a safe haven, and hiring a staff psychiatrist. Because Continuum of Care mandates yearly surveys of the homeless, the coalition remains fully informed of their own progress, of changes within the homeless community, and of any adjustments that must be made in the services they provide.
Two years ago, the Coalition reorganized to more effectively serve its homeless clientele. The Opportunity Center, which had been long been operationally fused with the Coalition, became a stand-alone agency and one of the Coalition's 42 members. Housed in a three-story, 7500 square-foot downtown building that was once a warehouse, the Center offers computer labs and classes on the third floor. Located on the second floor are staffed service agencies (e.g., medical clinic, Veterans Administration, MHMR, EPCC, foster care service, substance abuse clinic) as well as shower and kitchen facilities (all meals are freely provided). The first floor area is dedicated to warehouse and transportation storage as well as a day room. At night, mats are rolled out to create a giant dormitory for those in need of shelter. The Center's nearby satellite facilities accommodate veterans, singles who are ready to work, elderly/fragile individuals, and women with children. Two more satellites are planned for the mentally ill and for single women. Ray's philosophy toward those who seek help is to embrace all and give everyone a chance, regardless of their background or need-having learned firsthand how someone's belief in you can change your life. On an average night, 140 homeless souls sleep safely within the center's walls because of Ray's humanitarian beliefs.
The Center's social services are diverse and comprehensive: case management, employment referrals, housing, substance abuse counseling, child care, free medical and dental care, adult education classes (including GED tutoring and English), citizenship, and computer literacy. A day resource center (originally funded by a grant underwritten by EPCC) offers walk-in services that include counseling, education, occupational training, and job placement and provides a place for the homeless to leave belongings, receive mail, change clothes, bathe, and have a cup of coffee in an amiable setting. Fifty full-time and part-time employees ensure that residents are cared for and that services are constantly available. All year long, but especially between November and March when temperatures turn cold, the Center provides emergency shelter 24 hours a day, seven days a week; the homeless need never again risk their lives by sleeping on the street.
When asked what gaps remain in El Paso's services for the homeless, Ray quickly cites the need for more services and housing for the mentally ill, a segment of the homeless population that is often neglected. Since 1991, the Coalition has proved to El Paso that it is able and willing to care for this exiled and "embarrassing" segment of society. Because the Coalition is strong, its members dedicated, and its successes evident, the community applauds its efforts and contributes to its success. With their support, the continued generosity of an array of providers and agencies, and subsidies from state and federal programs, Ray and his staff-ever resourceful and tirelessly ambitious to find ways to assist and rehabilitate the homeless who flock around them-will undoubtedly succeed in meeting this need as well.
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