News

February 17

Neighbor wants homeless shelter to move

Resident says REACH clientele getting worse; he cites more cursing, fighting, vagrancy.

BILL O ’ BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com

WILKES-BARRE – Charlie Fox believes in the mission of REACH; he just wants the agency that helps the homeless to accomplish it someplace else.

Fox, 62, has lived on South Franklin Street for more than 15 years and he said the clientele that frequents REACH Inc.’s office in St. Stephen’s Church a few doors down has worsened.

Fox wants to work in concert with the church, REACH and the city to find a solution that will benefit all.

Stefanie Wolownik, executive director of REACH, and the Rev. Daniel Gunn, pastor at St. Stephen’s, are willing to discuss the situation and resolve Fox’s concerns.

“They have been very understanding,” Fox said. “And they have tried to fix it, but there are some people that are what I would call a bad element that hangs around there.”

Fox detailed incidents of cursing, fighting and vagrancy. He said elderly people going in and out of Boscov’s are often approached and asked for money or cigarettes. Fox said the Osterhout Library has a lot of children and the city YMCA is just down the road.

“Those people shouldn’t be around kids,” Fox said. “And they shouldn’t be bothering customers of the biggest department store we have downtown.”

Wolownik said she understands the concerns. She said REACH has added board members who are willing to actively seek a solution to the situation.

“They want to help us resolve the issue amicably, where we can still do our jobs and help these folks,” Wolownik said. “We get no funding to help homeless people, but if they come to our door and ask for help, we will offer that – because that’s what we should do.”

Wolownik said the big issue is the location; she said she would move the shelter if a free space could be found, like at St. Stephen’s.

“This is the church’s ministry,” she said. “REACH has been here for 25 years.”

Gunn said he has had many conversations about concerns in the past. He said there isn’t a lot of funding available to address some of the suggestions, like purchasing surveillance cameras.

“Wilkes-Barre is struggling with real inner-city issues,” Gunn said. “Nobody should blame the ills of downtown Wilkes-Barre on us and what we have been doing here for 25 years. Where are these people supposed to go?”

Gunn said St. Stephen’s doesn’t charge REACH any rent and the church pays all utilities. He said there is much more going on at St. Stephen’s than providing shelter for homeless. He said there is a free medical and dental clinic for people in need plus a food pantry and space for support groups to meet.

Wolownik said she has heard the reports of beer bottles and drug paraphernalia being found near the church, but said she sees those things in her own neighborhood in Forty Fort.

“My point is we are diligent to prevent things like that from coming into our agency,” she said. “Our clients have no expectation of privacy; we check them before we let them in. We have to keep this place safe.”

Wolownik said the REACH deals with about 40 homeless people daily and more come through the facility’s food pantry. She said intake surveys are taken to assess needs. She said since the agency received zero funding, outcomes do not have to be measured. However, she does compile reports that show job placements and housing placements of clients.

“If these people didn’t come here they would probably hang out on Public Square,” Wolownik said. “Asking us to move is one thing, but finding a suitable location is difficult; people don’t want us in their neighborhoods.”

Bill O’Boyle, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7218.

Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form

Send Question/Comment to the Publisher