HARRISON COUNTY, Mississippi (WLOX) – The Better Way To Give program is a solution created to prevent people from becoming homeless.
“We don’t want to make the problem of homelessness worse. We are trying to reduce the number of homeless people and that is exactly what we have done,” said Christen Duhe.
The year-old program was launched by the mayors of Gulfport and Biloxi to prevent panhandling and give first responders a better way to help.
READ: Gulfport and Biloxi launch the “Better Way to Give” campaign
“Before this fund was established, local law enforcement would encounter families or individuals in need,” Duhe said. “Perhaps they were found sleeping in their car or were on their way to somewhere else and got stuck here. Then they had to pay out of pocket for hotel stays and bus fares.”
Christen Duhe is executive director and president of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the organization responsible for managing the funds.
The first fundraiser last year raised $20,000 for the program.
“The amount of the expense varies depending on how much a bus ticket costs or how much a hotel stay costs. It could be a few hundred dollars for the down payment on an apartment,” Duhe said.
They are able to do this through law enforcement and nonprofit organizations like the Back Bay Mission.
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Back Bay Mission Executive Director James Pennington said the initial meetings were just between the foundation and law enforcement, but when the other nonprofits were invited, he saw something positive.
“We had a woman fleeing domestic violence. She arrived in Biloxi with three children and we were able to house her until her condition stabilized,” Pennington said.
“One of the best things that came out of it was that we were able to work with the Gulfport and Biloxi police and the mayor of Gulfport and initially the mayor of Biloxi. I think that really brought the police together and found a more collaborative solution,” Pennington said.
According to the foundation, there could be a possible solution to help people who have been homeless for years.
That’s why future nonprofit leaders like Pennington and Lynda Favre believe the issue of overnight shelter should be up for discussion.
“If they had a place to stay, a place to gather their thoughts and hopefully get the help they need and the resources it could change their lives,” Favre said.
“It’s their problem, it’s our common problem. It’s a community problem and it will move us forward much faster,” Pennington said.
The Ground Zero Blues Club is hosting the second annual One Coast Jam celebration to raise more money for the program. Events begin at 7 p.m.
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