Lending a helping hand

Since 2006, the Bert Nash Center Homeless Outreach Team has been helping some of the most vulnerable among us.

“We’re just trying to help people, and it’s a privilege when they will actually let you come into their lives,” said Kelly Martin, a member of the Bert Nash Center Homeless Outreach Team. “They are just people who trying to do their best to get by.”

The Bert Nash Center Homeless Outreach Team is funded through a partnership with the city of Lawrence and works with those who are experiencing homelessness.

During the pandemic, the number of people in Lawrence who are experiencing homelessness has grown.

As a result, the Bert Nash Homeless Outreach Team continues to experience a high demand for services. The team served 96 new individuals (persons not previously served) this quarter and 16 new families. In total, the team served 161 unique individuals and 22 families. There was a significant increase in the number of children within households served, which totaled 56 for the quarter. The team assisted 15 households with accessing housing and assisted 26 with preventing housing loss.

One person who is experiencing homelessness said of the Bert Nash Center’s Homeless Outreach Team: “They are the best bunch of people I’ve ever met. They’re good people. What I like about them is that they’re not actually here for the job, they like the job and they’re here. It makes a big difference. They do a lot for a lot of people out here.”