Second of two parts

DAVIS COUNTY — Homelessness takes many forms.

It’s the man who walked from North Salt Lake, in Tuesday’s 95-degree heat, to the Department of Workforce Services office in Woods Cross – and then hiked another two miles to the Bountiful Community Food Pantry.

Or it’s one of the nearly 1,100 students classified as homeless in the Davis School District. That includes only a handful having the misfortune to live in cars or a tent, etc.

Most of those are kids in families who don’t have a permanent address, but live with friends or relatives for a time, then are forced to move on in a matter of months. That’s informally called “double bunking.”

In Davis County, many people at or near homelessness can be found at the Bountiful Community Food Pantry or Family Connection Center Food Bank.

“For anyone who has ever had to go to a food bank, it is so demeaning to go and ask for help,” said FCC Executive Director Sharon Anderson.

“We try to make it as welcoming as possible, but the very fact they (parents) can’t provide the most basic needs for their family is very demeaning,” she said.

Both food banks will serve anyone, although they need, or shortly will, a proof of income level.

“It doesn’t mean we won’t serve them,” Anderson said of income levels. At the FCC, which serves residents mainly from Kaysville north, a proof of income is needed after the first visit.

“In the past, we have asked people what their income is, but haven’t asked for a pay stub,” said Dave Karcher, who oversees the Bountiful pantry.

Due to a funding change for the pantry, a pay stub will be required in the near future. But he emphasized that won’t change the philosophy or the way business is conducted there.

“It doesn’t matter what their (customer income) answer is, we’re going to help them,” he emphasized. “We do not deny service to anyone based on income. Income doesn’t tell the whole story.”

Karcher related the story of a man who drove up in an upscale vehicle and approached staff asking for help with a rather sheepish look.“We found out he was going through a nasty divorce, that all of his assets were frozen. He didn’t have enough money to buy food for his kids.”

Those seeking assistance continues to climb at both food banks: 1,562 individuals (or about 520 households, three to a household) were helped by the Bountiful pantry in June, and 2,071 received assistance from FCC. Bountiful generally serves an area with about 100,000 residents, while FCC covers the rest of the county, with about 200,000 residents.

“The kind of client we’re starting to see is changing,” he said. “Some economists think it’s (employment) going to get over 10 percent on a national level,” greatly increasing the number the Bountiful Pantry would serve, Karcher said.

The percentage of people being helped at both facilities has increased between 42 and 45 percent, on average, this year over 2008.

“I’d say 97 percent of the people using our food bank are living under 125 percent of poverty, Anderson said. That’s $18,212 a year for two people or $27,562 for a family of four.

The Davis Community Housing Authority has worked to place people in housing for the past 35 years. But its ability to help is down while the level of need is on the increase.

“With the economy the way it is, it’s taking an average of two years to place people in housing,” said Jan Winborg, DCHA executive director.

It has 1,035 federally approved slots for low income households, who can live in privately-owned apartments at subsidized rates. There are another 158 DCHA-owned housing units, including 72 for elderly and disabled.

“In our owned properties, we try to keep rents affordable, to help people, “ she said.

The DCHA operates family self sufficiency and drug elimination programs, but funding has been reduced. It’s part of an effort to help people help themselves stay out of homelessness by gaining education/training that can lead to productive jobs.

“The need (in Davis County) is to meet the needs of homeless families,” said Lloyd Pendleton. He directs the Utah Homelessness Task Force and meets regularly with the Davis County representatives about local homeless issues.

tbusselberg@davisclipper.com