Our guest speaker today was Carlos Baldovinos, Executive Director of the Mission at Kern County.  Carlos has been in full time ministry since 1988.  In 2009 he began to have a heart to reach the homeless and addicted, this led him to the Mission at Kern Count in 2010.  Carlos is currently the Chairman of the Board for the Kern County Homeless Collaborative (KCHC).  The Mission of the KCHC is to put an end to homelessness in Kern County through collaborative planning and action. Together they are committed to ending homelessness, the Members of the KCHC strive toward “housing first”. When people are housed first, basic needs are met faster, helping them live independently and minimize the costs to communities. There are 32 agencies in the Collaborative.  Case management before and after housing helps to ensure greater stability and long-term success; and provides added incentives for landlord partnerships. Outreach efforts and events reach those in need of housing and homeless prevention. Networking opportunities, presentations, trainings, media, e-news briefs and social media provide resources to educate the community.

 

California has 134,000 homeless individuals which is equal to 25% of the Nations homeless.  At last count, Kern County had 885 homeless which is a 9% increase year over year.  Mayor Goh, as part of the Big 11 Mayors, was able to secure funding under the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) which has helped to fund capital projects such as additional beds. 

The Point in Time Count will occur on January 31^st from 4:00 am – 8:00 am.  This year there are 500 volunteers, the largest number ever.  This is indicative of the increased awareness of this issue in our community.