Ministry of Concern steps up outreach to local homeless population

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Warren Harding, homeless outreach coordinator of Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, and director Jami Allport display some of the backpacks available to the homeless. They were purchased with a grant Allport applied for from Greater Rochester Health Foundation.

ALBION – When Jami Allport accepted the position as director of Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern in August 2023, one problem soon caught her attention – the homeless population in Orleans County.

“People say homelessness is not a problem in rural counties like Orleans, it is a city problem,” Allport said. “It’s not. And we have to educate the public that homelessness is here and it’s not going anywhere.”

The mission of Ministry of Concern has always been to help those in need, and Allport wanted to further that mission any way she could.

“I jumped in with both feet, and started attending any meeting I could,” she said.

When she heard about Point in Time count by the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, she knew that was something Ministry of Concern had to be involved with. When she met Aeddon Cayea, grant writer at United Way of Orleans County, he offered and was successful in applying for a grant from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation.

“The grant is for two years and allowed us to hire Warren Harding, a retired cop, as Homeless Outreach coordinator,” Allport said. “Our goal is to seek out and interact with the homeless community.”

Jami Allport, director of Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, shows what is in the new backpacks being given to the homeless.

Harding was looking for something to do which was more fulfilling than the odd jobs he had been doing. His first day was spent walking through woods, along railroad tracks, around abandoned buildings and even under tractor trailers to seek out the homeless.

“I came back to the office and started to digest what I’d seen,” Harding said.

Point in Time had devised a survey which homeless are asked to complete, asking very simple questions as to why they are homeless and where they have been sleeping. The surveys were only being conducted by Point in Time once a year, and Allport wondered why they couldn’t do it more often.

“I realized we weren’t going to get answers if we only sought them once a year,” she said. “With the grant we received the end of August, we can conduct the surveys all year.”

Allport met with Nyla Gaylord, director of United Way of Orleans County, who urged her into the warming center in Albion. Independent Living reached out and said they were getting ready to do the annual Point in Time count.

Information acquired goes into the system for New York state.

“The more we show great need, the more money we can get for Orleans County,” Allport said.

In order to seek out the homeless and encourage them to make out a survey, they need volunteers 18 or older. Allport will arrange training. She is also planning a series of informational workshops for the community to share what homelessness looks like in Orleans County.

One big benefit from the grant is allowing Ministry of Concern to purchase waterproof backpacks filled with essentials for a homeless person to survive, if only for a short time. One room at GOMOC’s new headquarters in the First Presbyterian Church in Albion is filled with the backpacks, which contain a blanket, two bottles of water, two MREs with a fork, a hat, scarf, gloves, two pair of socks, a shower cap treated with shampoo that doesn’t need to be rinsed out, baby wipes, sunscreen, waterless toothbrush, sunscreen and a self-inflating air mattress.

At the turn of a dial, the air mattress rolls back up. Also included is a $10 gift card to McDonalds or Burger King and pamphlets with information on services a homeless person might need.

Since implementing their mission a week ago to serve the homeless, Ministry of Concern has seen an average of one person per day.

“Unfortunately, this won’t end their homelessness,” Allport said. “There is no place to put them right now with the severe housing crisis in Orleans County. We want them to know this is a safe place for them to come to. We will not advocate for them, but with them. We will walk alongside them in their journey.”

Allport also announced her office has funds available for rental assistance and is ready for children to be signed up for free Christmas gifts.

For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, call (585) 589-9210.