By Jacob Lopez
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
The cold winter months are no time to be outside and exposed to the elements.
Loaves & Fishes of the Rio Grande Valley is a homeless shelter in Harlingen dedicated to offering people a place to stay.
Tommy Lee Martinez of Loaves & Fishes does outreach for the shelter, traveling to surrounding areas such as San Benito to provide hygiene kits, water and blankets to those who are in need of shelter.
Martinez informs them of the Harlingen facility, but due to liability reasons he’s unable to transport them. Still, some will take him up on the offer and go to the shelter if they need temporary housing.
Interestingly, according to Martinez, it can actually be difficult to spot someone who’s homeless. For instance, a person walking down the street with a backpack may just look like a college student on their way home, but their bag actually holds their clothes and other possessions. On the flip-side, someone may be walking around with their gym bag after a workout and be mistaken for a homeless person.
Martinez recalled some instances in which he’s spoken with joggers at local parks he initially thinks are just exercising, only to be surprised when they inform him that they are homeless and are working out to get their mind off of their current situation.
Some people refuse to go to the shelter. According to Martinez, this is often due to the zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol.
Tragically, for some, the dependency is so high that they cannot go a single day without one of the two. Those people “can’t give it up for one night,” said Martinez.
Still, Martinez said that those individuals make up a small percentage of the homeless population. Many have lost their job or were laid off and are unable to make ends meet. There are also some who have small homes or rent space but cannot afford, or do not have, heating – they too are also welcomed at the facility, according to Martinez. All they need is an ID and social security number, he said.
They will work with people who can only bring in an ID, but those who stay must be able to prove citizenship. The facility is more lenient with the rule on cold nights for those who need to get away from harsh conditions.
The staying period can be a short as one night, or as long as 30 days. That can be extended should the person find a job and need to stay a little longer as they re-establish themselves and find a place to live, explained Martinez.
And breakfast and dinner are served seven days a week, “no questions asked,” according to the Loaves & Fishes website.
For more information, call (956) 423-1014.
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