‘It’s good having people who care’: Outreach Outpost holds first organization hub in the forest to help China Hat’s homeless

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)-- Those living deep in the forest off China Hat Road were provided with water, medical services and veterinary aid on Wednesday.

It was the first time Outreach Outpost or any other service provider has been that deep into the woods off China Hat. The outpost is a collaborative effort by Bend-based Home More Network to join outreach organizations together into one hub.

NewsChannel 21 has reported the many problems neighbors nearby have faced from China Hat's encampments over the years, including fires, fentanyl and filth - something these service providers are trying to solve.

Home More Network founder Jessica Gamble said, "We are out here to address the gaps in care in our local system of homeless assistance. We're also out here to bring our community together to make it easier for unhoused neighbors to connect to services and resources that are available."

Gamble knows the issues very well. She lived in these woods just a few years ago, and her passion for helping her houseless neighbors comes from her own journey.

"I am an unhoused neighbor that I'm currently housed," Gamble said Wednesday. "But I lived out here. We did this, and we survived it. and other people want to survive these chapters as well."

Steven, who has been homeless for eight years, was able to give his dog, Gypsy, the Parvo vaccine and a new collar, thanks to the Companion Animal Medical Project, or CAMP.

"You get to see first-hand how much they love each other and need each other and our goal is to keep them together," said Johannah Johnson-Weinberg, the founder of CAMP.

Companion Animal Medical Project has been helping the homeless in Central Oregon with their pets for  four years. They estimate about 200 pets are owned in the China Hat Road encampments.

"In our experience, all of the animals that we generally interact with are really happy and well cared for.," Johnson-Weinberg said. "We do our best to make sure that the pet has what they need, so that the owner could, you know, maybe care for themselves a little bit more."

 Steven's friend, Terry, was also treated for her wounded hand by Adventure Medics. 

"It's dry. There's very little water, it's dirty," Steven said. " We had an emergency, my friend Terry almost lost her hand and still might. It's good having people who care."