Homelessness, Hunger Prevented For One Oregon City Woman Thanks To Caring Police Officer

OREGON CITY, OR — Oregon City Police Homeless Outreach Officer Mike Day shared a story on the OCPD's Facebook page Thursday detailing his recent actions to help an Oregon City woman at risk of homelessness. Day's outreach began July 24, he said, following an introduction by fellow OCPD officer Sgt. Cynthia Gates.

According to Day, Kathy Knox, 57, was at risk of becoming homeless following the death of her father in June. Knox and her father had been living together in a manufactured home at a mobile home park in Oregon City. After her father died, however, Knox was unable to make the mobile home park rent payments and was forced to sell the home — the proceeds from which went mostly to cover her father's funeral expenses.

Knox, unemployed and with no source of income, "was very much on the brink of homelessness," Day said.

"I set a goal to assist Kathy with receiving food benefits to meet her basic need to eat," he explained. "I also set a goal to get Kathy into an emergency shelter as homelessness was imminent."

Day first contacted the Salvation Army Female Emergency Shelter (SAFES) and put Knox on a waitlist for the SAFES dormitory program, he said.

By offering shelter, showers, bathrooms, lockers, phone services, laundry, support groups, activities, housing resources, and more, Day said, SAFES lives up to its mission to empower women to move from homelessness to housing.

One week after first meeting, on July 31 Day helped Knox fill out her SNAP food benefits application, he said. He also gave Knox a ride to the local Department of Human Services office so she could meet with a case manager.

Knox was approved and received her first benefit deposit on Aug. 1, Day said. On Aug. 3, Day gave Knox a ride back to SAFES, where she was assigned a bed and setup with an appointment to meet with an advocate, he said.

"Kathy can stay at the location as long as necessary while she works to get back on her feet, so long as she abides by the rules," Day said. "It was a joy to work with Kathy in my position as the Homeless Liaison Officer. Kathy's positive attitude in the midst of grief and facing homelessness was inspiring."

Photo Courtesy: Oregon City Police Department