30 Nights with the Martinez / Pacheco Homeless Outreach - A Busy Friday

Day 5:

8:15 p.m. - I start my rounds cruising down Alahambra Ave where I stopped two people; one had just gotten out of the hospital and was stranded in Martinez. Easy problem. This person just needed to go to Concord. So I give this person a ride. Now I'm back and pull into Amtrak Station where I counted  13 homeless tonight and right about then I get a call from Creekside Church about a food donation. So I ran and picked that up -- they had a lot. I fed all of the homeless around town and at Amtrak.

Now I'm in the John Muir Ampitheatre. There is a hole cut in the fence and sometimes homeless go there to use the electric outlets to charge phones or listen to the radio. I did find one man back there and was able to get him services at the shelter.

Now I'm back from the shelter and I'm in the downtown area and I get a call about a mom camping with her 6 month old child so I drop what I'm doing and go to where they are camping. I did make contact -- there were three people in this camp and they admit that they had a baby in camp for one week but the baby was now housed. I believe them somewhat so I am having law enforcement do checks on this camp and I will notify Child Protective Services on Monday. I will also be checking this camp nightly. If there is one  thing I hate it's parents who don't take their kids to a safe place. They're everywhere; kids don't get the luxury of making their own choices, they have to deal with what their parents put them through.

Needless to say that took a large chunk of time and things like that just ruin the rest of my night. Now I'm on a Sheriff's Office call. A young man needed some blankets and food but does not want service.  I then cruised Howe Road and stopped and talked to the folks in cars and RV's; they never need much but I still try. Then I get a call about two of my homeless clients fighting at Amtrak so I go back and get things settled down. It was a drunk argument --  they are  very common at Amtrak and at the Marina.

I told you guys things get busy on the weekends .