WATSONVILLE—A group of human services leaders officially launched a program created to put homeless people to work, pay them a small stipend and, more importantly, give them a sense of purpose
Under the WatsonvilleWorks! program, which began on Sept. 9, homeless people help clean areas along the sloughs, nature trails and other sections around the city.
Since it began, the volunteers have cleaned 675 bags of trash, program coordinator Maria Medina said.
The program, which had its official launch on Nov. 15, is run under the umbrella of the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County. In addition to getting 12 days of work experience – and $25 gift cards to stores such as Target and Food Maxx – participants get connected with services they might need.
The idea to use work crews to keep the city clean is not new. CAB started the Community Restoration Project Work First program in 1998 as an alternative to incarceration. It offered job training, placement assistance and leadership to low-income youth and adults. Funding for that project dried up recently.
The new idea came when organizers saw untapped potential in the numbers of homeless people who simply needed to be given the opportunity to work, said Executive Director MariaElena De La Garza.
“We said, ‘it makes sense,’” De La Garza said. “How do we not capitalize and take advantage of this opportunity?”
The program, she said, is a win for the homeless people and the community in which they live.
“We have to be responsive to the needs of this community,” she said. “We have to be responsive to the business in the downtown area. We have to be responsive to the opportunities and connect people to the opportunities that exist in this community.”
Watsonville Mayor Francisco “Paco” Estrada said the need for the work performed by the participants will likely never end. Still, he praised the organizers of the two-month-old program.
“Programs like this fill me with hope,” he said. “We have bright days ahead of us.”
Medina said that organizers look for potential volunteers at the Salvation Army shelter, the City Plaza, along the levees and other places where homeless people congregate.
“We go again and again and again, because sometimes people are not ready,” she said.
Participants also learn life skills such as punctuality, appropriate dress and teamwork. They also get workplace safety training, including bloodborne pathogens and how to safely dispose of used syringes they find.
“And we have a lot of fun,” said Medina, adding that Fridays are reserved for an end-of-the-week celebration.
Leo Cervantes said that his participation in the program bolstered his self-esteem and gave him a sense of purpose.
“It feels good to be participating in this type of program,” he said. “It makes me feel good. It’s a chance to make a difference, and we’re doing it.”
Xavier Battice, 58, was cleaning litter from a stretch of trail along the sloughs near 4th Street on Thursday morning. He said he was enjoying the work.
“I need my exercise anyway,” he said. “It’s not all about the money sometimes. It’s about giving back.”
Funding comes from the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) and the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program (CESH).
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The Watsonville Works! program is in need of work clothes for its participants, including sturdy boots, preferably steel-toed, and rain jackets. These can be brought to CAB office at 406 Main Street, suite 207.
