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HAZLETON — On a recent evening, a dozen people gathered at a small park near the Grand Smoke shop on Vine Street just off the downtown, getting ready to go “home.”
They were not, however, preparing to make their way back to a house or apartment to settle in for the evening.
Instead, they were gearing up to go to a makeshift encampment in the woods about a mile behind Giant Market. There, they said, are tents, blankets and a warm fire that would provide opportunity for a night’s sleep.
Homeless, many of them look back on a specific event such as being kicked out of the house because of drinking or being released from jail without having anywhere to go as to what led their downward spiral.
As they talk, most, one by one, make their way over to the smoke shop to buy beer which they say will warm them and alleviate the boredom.
JJ, who declined to give his last name, said the group is reluctant to take reporters back to the makeshift campsite site because they fear it would mean police will find out where they sleep and force them to leave.
Admitting to having a drinking problem, JJ said after spending time in jail for a non-violent charge, he returned to the city, to the streets and, eventually, to the camp.
He refers to the camp as much more than simply a collection of tents, even more than a safe nightly haven, calling it “a secret infrastructure” in which strong long-term relationships are built.
Homeless people gathered at the park said the amount of people taking in shelter in the woods varies from a dozen to 50, depending on the season and the temperature.
Food issues
Lack of housing, however, is not the only problem the group shares. Many are also hungry.
It is about 6 p.m., but most haven’t yet eaten dinner and have no prospects of having an evening meal.
Although they can grab a lunch-time meal at The Salvation Army a few blocks away, no free meals are provided in the city later in the day. That’s why Robert Gallagher, known to friends as “Shaggy,” carries a jar of fruit cocktail in his pocket as he makes his way through town.
“I haven’t really eaten in a couple of days,” he said. “You do what you have to do.”
Marie Munaw and “John John” say, although they appreciate a meal at the soup kitchen, served at 10:30 a.m. five days a week, they often get hungry later in the day.
Both sat outside the facility after a meal recently, reflecting on the frustrations associated with being on the street.
“John John” doesn’t understand why the facility or another nonprofit can’t open a homeless shelter that would provide a secure night’s sleep during the upcoming winter.
Major Doris Gonzalez, The Salvation Army’s director, said the facility does all it can to improve the quality of life for the homeless on the streets of the city.
In addition to a daily meal, she said, the homeless are also welcome to the organization’s food pantry once a month and to information about additional resources available.
“Participants are also welcome to take bread or other baked goods that they can eat later in the day,” she said. “And we don’t limit them in regard to how much they can eat while they are here for the daily soup kitchen, which we run five days a week.”
Many said they don’t understand the lack of services in lower Luzerne County, with Catholic Social Services sponsoring homeless shelters in both Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, but not in the Hazleton area.
“We think they are sending a clear message that the city doesn’t want us,” said JJ.
Financial issues
Msgr. Joseph Kelly, executive director of Catholic Social Services and a champion for homeless people, said the agency simply cannot afford to operate a shelter in the Hazleton area.
“People say we need a shelter in Hazleton,” said Kelly, “and I ask them with what money?”
Kelly said about $150,000 would be needed to begin and maintain a shelter, and with state and federal cuts, that just isn’t feasible.
Although Kelly, who oversees both the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton shelters, believes wholeheartedly in their value, he also knows the rules and directives that come with any structured shelter are not something homeless people are willing to comply with.
“Some of our homeless people aren’t ready to follow rules,” he said. “That’s their decision. I respect that.”
Shaggy considers himself one of the lucky ones because he gets to sleep several nights a week in a building his brother owns.
Sometimes he also allows other homeless friends to sleep there, but not without a bit of fear.
“If my brother comes back and finds out that I let people stay there, he would make sure I never stay their again,” he said.
Plight of homeless
As homeless and nearly homeless people gather around several benches, they are almost stoic about their plight.
Many, although admitting to being homeless, said, “I’m not as homeless as other people are.”
Bill, 52, who spends many nights on the street, said the days on which he can get 10 hours of work at $10 an hour are good ones.
On those days, Bill rents a motel room.
“First, I take a shower and then I wash my clothes in the bathtub and lay them on the heating unit,” he said. “I turn the heat way up. I might sweat during the night, but I can take another shower in the morning. These are the realities.”
Although Bill said he had a good summer and, at times, counts his blessings, sometimes reality hits him hard when he least expects it.
“I looked in the mirror the other day,” he said, tears welling up in his eyes, “and I thought I’m only 52 and this is what homelessness has done to me.”
Although those gathered at the small park are reluctant to reveal the location of their informal camp, they readily talk about camaraderie and strong spirit that seem to be characteristic of those who live there.
“When it gets cold, we chop down a tree, we build a fire,” said Bill, “and it’s each person’s responsibility to make sure that it doesn’t go out.”
One night, Bill said he got so drunk he couldn’t make it to the campsite.
“I thought ‘I can’t walk all the way there.’ So, you see this dumpster? You see the wall next to this dumpster? I slept on it,” he said, “until I fell off and broke my back in three places.”
Much of Bill’s time is spent beer in hand in an effort to lift his boredom and provide a reason to spend time with his friends.
“Maybe if I was playing cards, I wouldn’t be drinking so much,” he said. “But, there’s no place to go to play cards or watch TV.”
Many of the homeless people gathered at the little park took responsibility for their situation, but still they wondered why government officials don’t make an effort to help or to address their plight.
“I wonder if they are trying to get rid of us,” said JJ. “We used to be able to rent rooms and Labor Ready helped us get a day’s pay. No more.”
JJ remembers when a homeless shelter operated out of The Salvation Army, but then closed.
He questions whether he can make his way back from a homeless existence which includes days filled with beer, cigarettes, quick meals and hope for survival.
“Sometimes, I think I have a different mentality,” he said. “Like we’re now a different species that can’t be domesticated.”
‘Truck homeless’
Mary Cull, formerly from West Hazleton, calls herself “truck homeless,” living in the woods and sometimes sleeping in a truck.
She owns a home but it was condemned and she had to leave.
“Now all I need to do is get my water turned back on,” she said. “I hope that I can do that.”
Cull and many of the homeless gathered near the park seem to lack an understanding of resources.
“I haven’t really called many places to help,” said Cull. “I would if I knew where I should call.”
Many express frustration in replacing a lost identification card.
Bernadette Poznar, 35, said one of the challenges in obtaining ID is cost.
Poznar said she is homeless “because of hard times” and seems to be acutely aware of the rising price of IDs obtained at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
“At first they were $12, then they went up to $27.50 and now I think they are $28.50,” she said.
Although most of the homeless don’t have much money, they are aware of its value.
“Everything costs money and then it cost more money that we can’t afford,” said Rob.
Although many of the homeless gathered are aware shelter is available to them should they be willing to travel about 20 miles to Wilkes-Barre, to most, that isn’t an option.
Hazleton, said JJ, is our home.
City response
Councilwoman Jean Mope hopes the city will work with other agencies to provide opportunity for those who are homeless to get back on their feet.
“Even if someone could provide them with a warm place to sleep or a place to play cards,” said Mope, “they would have an opportunity to move toward being normal.”
Mayor Joseph Yannuzzi said he is well aware there are homeless people living in the woods and, he believes, in abandoned structures throughout the area.
Yannuzzi said he had a unique perspective on the matter, having married two homeless people he believes were living in “tent city” last year.
“I know for a fact that area behind tent city exists,” said Yannuzzi, smiling, “because I married a couple last year who wanted very much to be married in spite of the fact that they didn’t have a home, didn’t have an address.”
As two reporters began to leave, making their way out of the cold night to their cars, which would soon be warmer than the inside of a tent would ever be, “Shaggy” followed them.
Grabbing their hands and, with tears running down his face, he said, “Do you think someone could help us? Do you think anyone will help us?”
We hope so, Shaggy, we hope so.
