Prineville shelter points to needs of rural homeless

There are more than 20,000 people who live in Crook County. More than 200 of them are homeless, and there is only one homeless shelter in the whole county. But expansion is on the way.

Redemption House currently only houses women and children.

“When it comes to rural areas, you have this big-city problem, but with no support,” Greg Sanders of Redemption House Ministries said Tuesday.

So far this year, Sanders has had to turn 85 women away because of lack of space. They just had a ribbon-cutting for a new facility that will be able to house 20 women and children. The current facility they are using will hopefully be turned into a men’s emergency shelter.

“A lot of the phone calls we get are, you know, ‘Where do I go from here?’ — especially when we have to turn them down,” Sanders said.

The shelter has housed 47 women and 27 children so far this year.

Sanders said many times, when people become homeless, for whatever reason, in rural communities, they don’t know where to go or who to ask for help. Redemption House said they’re trying to educate the community.

The shelter is in need of resources too. They need volunteers, funds and materials.

Learn more at: http://www.prinevilleredemptionhouse.com/