• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Valley Citizen

Nature, Environment, History & Politics

The Valley Citizen

  • Arts
  • Education
  • Environment
  • History
  • Nature
  • Politics
  • Wit
  • About
  • RSS Icon

Homeless: Stanislaus County Workers Bring Christmas Spirit

December 22, 2018 By Eric Caine 3 Comments

County outreach worker Jimmy Yarnal (purple shirt)

A bevy of Stanislaus County service workers, many wearing purple T-shirts emblazoned with the motto, “Together We Rise,” brought food and comfort to the homeless encampment at Beard Brook Park Saturday, just three days before Christmas.

Working off the clock, many of the workers are part of the county’s outreach effort and know village residents by name. They helped distribute pizza, pillows, blankets and Christmas cheer to the hundreds of people who have crowded into Beard Brook Park since the City of Modesto designated it a permitted location for camping.

Recent gray skies and rain gave way to sunshine and brought uplifted spirits to the camp now known as “Beard Brook Village.” Residents of the village had been disappointed when the city announced campfires would no longer be permitted due to problems with too much smoke. The fires had been the only way people had of providing themselves heat, warm food, and coffee.

Saturday’s sunshine was welcome and so were the warm food and drinks. County workers were joined by members of El Buen Samaritano Church of Modesto and the Second Harvest/Starbucks Food Bank,  as well as volunteers who routinely help  whenever they can.

In addition to mounds of food, drinks, and toys for children of the homeless, volunteers distributed blankets, pillows, and warm clothing. Beginning with a few tents and some thirty or forty people, the village population has burgeoned to about four-hundred residents,* most of whom are living in tents on the steep slope along the park’s west side.

City and county authorities plan to move the camp a few hundred yards west to a location with flatter ground so that winter rains aren’t as much of a problem for the tent dwellers. Under current conditions, heavy rains create mudslides, the wind topples tents, and people in the village are in constant danger of slipping and sliding on the wet mud that forms on the slope.

Authorities also hope to provide sturdier tents for those who need them. Many campers have only flimsy tents that collapse or blow down in a storm. Ideally, the new village will serve as a low-barrier shelter for people who would otherwise be living in local parks, camping along rivers, and sleeping behind buildings downtown.

Award-winning Modesto Police Sergeant Mike Hammond, who patrols the village frequently, says residents have for the most part done a good job policing themselves, though there are always people who ignore even the simplest rules. “One of my biggest jobs is rumor control,” said Hammond recently. He added with a laugh, “And some of the biggest rumors are about me.”

Hammond works closely with camp coordinator Frank Ploof. Both men have years of experience working with homeless people and manage to combine necessary discipline with compassion for people in need. Some residents of the village have already moved on to more permanent housing; with county workers located in the park itself, it will be much easier to evaluate people’s needs and direct them to the appropriate services.

Meanwhile, generous giving by local churches, charities and individuals brings the true spirit of Christmas to hundreds of people who, but for the comfort of a tent on a hillside, would be on the streets or hiding in a park or alley, waiting for the next order to move along.

*an earlier post cited almost six-hundred residents

 

 

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Beard Brook Park, Beard Brook Village, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in Stanislaus County

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shonnia says

    December 22, 2018 at 8:54 pm

    Thank you everyone For your Christmas Cheer I couldn’t make it out of my tent but am thankful. Merry Christmas

    Reply
  2. Jimmy Yarnal says

    December 22, 2018 at 9:08 pm

    Great story Eric,
    Thank you
    I appreciate everything you do
    I hope your health gets better
    Your friend jimmy Yarnall

    Reply
  3. Leng Power says

    December 23, 2018 at 1:54 pm

    Thank you for sharing this wonderful story Eric.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Note: Some comments may be held for moderation.

Primary Sidebar

Off The Wire

Colombian parrot conservationist murdered - BirdWatching
Colombian parrot conservationist murdered – BirdWatching
www.birdwatchingdaily.com
Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims as president. Nearly half came in his final year.
Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims as president. Nearly half came in his final year.
The Washington Post Fact Checker’s database of Trump claims, originally launched as a project to track his first 100 days, offers a window into his obsessions.
www.washingtonpost.com
The Grim Conclusions of the Largest-Ever Study of Fake News
The Grim Conclusions of the Largest-Ever Study of Fake News
Falsehoods almost always beat out the truth on Twitter, penetrating further, faster, and deeper into the social network than accurate information.
www.theatlantic.com
Could a homegrown coronavirus strain be partly to blame for California's surge?
Could a homegrown coronavirus strain be partly to blame for California’s surge?
California scientists have discovered a new coronavirus strain that appears to be propagating faster than any other variant in the Golden State.
www.latimes.com
The Worst President in History
The Worst President in History
Three particular failures secure Trump’s status as the worst chief executive ever to hold the office.
www.theatlantic.com
Trump forces seek primary revenge on GOP impeachment backers
Trump forces seek primary revenge on GOP impeachment backers
Candidates, donors and local party officials are already organizing against the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump.
www.politico.com
McCarthy Falsely Denies Voting To Overturn Election Results
McCarthy Falsely Denies Voting To Overturn Election Results
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Thursday denied that he, in fact, voted to overturn the election results as…
talkingpointsmemo.com
Audubon Files Lawsuit to Protect Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Audubon Files Lawsuit to Protect Migratory Bird Treaty Act
A coalition of conservation groups is going to court to overturn Trump Administration’s weakening of the landmark bird protection law.
www.audubon.org
Californians scramble for shots amid slow vaccine rollout | CalMatters
Californians scramble for shots amid slow vaccine rollout | CalMatters
Gov. Newsom said the feds failed to deliver promised vaccine supplies, but he expects Californians with their first shots to be able to secure their second.
calmatters.org
David Brooks column: Trump ignites a war within the church
David Brooks column: Trump ignites a war within the church
“Over the last 72 hours, I have received multiple death threats and thousands upon thousands of emails from Christians saying the nastiest and most vulgar things I have ever heard toward my family and ministry. I have been labeled a coward, sellout, a traitor to the Holy Spirit, and cussed out at least 500 times.”
www.courant.com
Here are the companies suspending political contributions following the Capitol riots
Here are the companies suspending political contributions following the Capitol riots
thehill.com
How the Capitol Riot Thrust Big American Companies Deeper Into Politics
How the Capitol Riot Thrust Big American Companies Deeper Into Politics
“Words alone are not enough.” Corporate moves to halt political funding and decry the forces behind the Jan. 6 riot have accelerated a broader movement in business to address social and political issues.
www.wsj.com
I've hesitated to call Donald Trump a fascist. Until now | Opinion
I’ve hesitated to call Donald Trump a fascist. Until now | Opinion
After last week the label seems not just acceptable, but necessary.
www.newsweek.com

Find us on Facebook

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Footer

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Subscribe for Free

* indicates required

Search

• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 The Valley Citizen

Dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Contact us at thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Editor and publisher: Eric Caine

Website customization and maintenance by Susan Henley Design