AUSTIN, Texas — The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF) set up shop at the State-sanctioned homeless encampment off U.S. 183 in August of last year.
The nonprofit said through its presence – a mobile office at the back of the encampment, among other things – it provides workforce solutions, employment opportunities, hygiene facilities like showers, community buildings and it will soon offer a laundry facility.
"We've helped facilitate a resident-elected leadership committee and they do community meetings every other week where we sit and listen to the residents there and talk about what, what they're looking for out of their time there and how we can move forward partnering with the residents rather than sitting up high and handing down what we think they need," Max Moscoe, the community engagement coordinator, told KVUE on Jan. 28.
He said that while the amount of people they're helping has grown exponentially, future plans may help with fitting more people in the space that need shelter.
Current capacity and future potential growth
While the situation is fluid, since TOOF moved into the camp, the population of the encampment has grown to the point where they consider themselves "at capacity," with anywhere between 150 and 200 people staying at the encampment now.
"There are people coming in and out all the time," Moscoe said. "There are some people who come in during the day to access services and then they don't actually stay there. So it's an extremely fluid situation and we are at what we're considering capacity right now. That's going to change when we put in the shelter units."
The units Moscoe is talking about are essentially 200 planned mini shelters, which he said include a bed, power outlets, locks and climate control, among other things. He added there are two sizes – one around 70 square feet and the other around 100 square feet.
The goal is to create four neighborhoods of 50 shelters.
Funding for the shelters, as well as a timeline for when they could be completed, is still up in the air, but if you'd like to donate to the cause, click here.
"Right now, there's anywhere from 150 to 200 people out there. Once we put the 200 shelters out there, we're looking at more of a capacity like 300 people," Moscoe said. "And again, once folks are inside of a shelter and have a little bit more stability and structure in their life and we hire more caseworkers, once those two things happen, then our ability to help more folks will be certain."
TOOF isn't the only entity typically on site. Enduring the COVID-19 pandemic was also a service the group has helped with, thanks to CommUnityCare, who TOOF said tests residents weekly if needed.
Additionally, as of right now, Moscoe said there's a group effort between the nonprofit, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
"We're kind of all working together at this time. We don't have the lease to the property and we don't really call the shots up there. We have a lot of respect and a really, really good relationship with the residents," Moscoe said. "And not only are we partnering with two different State agencies, but we're partnering with the City for our workforce program. We're partnering with private donors and businesses and we're partnering with faith-based organizations. So it really takes a village and we function mostly as service coordinators."
As for the future, Moscoe explained there's a handoff in the works for the foundation to potentially have more ownership of the property, but details are still being worked out.
"We're like the center of a cog of a wheel that brings in other groups that can handle tasks that we simply can't because of capacity," he said. "And it's going to be a very gradual handoff and we don't have a specific timeline on it. We just know that, you know, what needs to be out there is homeless service providers and social workers and people who are in that space. And so we're excited to have the opportunity to step up and do that."
Teddy Maddux, who has lived at the encampment for more than a year now, said he's seen the area grow.
“It’s not meant for longtime residents. It’s for people to come, get their stuff straight. There’s so many resources people can use to get everything, get their life back in order, then get back on with living," Maddux said.
He believes that more shelters are needed for the homeless in general to help them get back on their feet.
“There needs to be more safe places for people [where they] can go to get their lives in order. If a person’s suffering from addiction, they lose their home and you put them in a place that’s full of addiction and no help and no guidance, no churches, they’re going to go back in that rut,” Maddux said. “We need a roof over our heads. I appreciate that they give us this area to set up tents and stuff and that’s fine and great, but we need more structures, more pallet homes, plumbing, basic necessities that you would – that you take for granted. It means so much to us.”
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