ANTIOCH — Every Wednesday, Nichole Latrese Gardner drives her green minibus to the Amtrak station at around 5:30 p.m. where she is greeted by a group of people she proudly calls family.
A line forms on the sidewalk as she pulls up. A team of volunteers starts to bring a bundle of clothes, blankets, toiletries, and other essentials from the minibus and spread it by the sidewalk before those in need start rummaging through the pile.
Gardner is the founder of Facing Homelessness in Antioch, a nonprofit group she started in 2017 to help the city’s unhoused. Together with her team of volunteers, they help distribute essentials and hot meals.
This week, Gardner prepared her famous spaghetti alongside some salad and cake for her friends.
“They love my spaghetti,” Gardner chuckled.
Gardner said, in addition to small grants, the support of Antioch residents helps her continue her outreach programs, as people often drop off donation items in front of her porch.
But the group’s work goes beyond food and essentials – it’s about human connection. Gardner and her team know the regulars who have been coming to the outreach initiatives for years, where they exchange their daily stories and a few laughs.
“We love our friends out here on the streets,” said Gardner. “They are like family.”
Although Gardner has always actively volunteered through church activities, social media videos compelled her to start her advocacy work to help the homeless.
When she first started, Gardner had a different perspective about the unhoused community. She believed that people refused shelter and preferred living on the streets. But once Gardner got more involved, she discovered this was far from the truth.
Facing Homelessness in Antioch, along with other groups, advocated for transitional housing at the former Executive Inn. Now called Opportunity Village, the initiative aims to help unsheltered individuals get off the streets. Although Gardner’s team isn’t directly involved in running it, they provide referrals.
Tasha Johnson, Antioch’s Public Safety and Community Resources director, said that since its opening in 2023, Opportunity Village has helped 145 individuals, with 115 who have moved out. Of those who left, 92 moved into stable housing, 17 returned to the streets, one went to the hospital, two never returned, and three chose to live with friends temporarily.
“Currently, 407 couples or individuals are on the waitlist for services,” said Johnson.
Johnson said Opportunity Village, which is on East 18th Street, has 32 rooms to accommodate unhoused individuals. Together with Bay Area Community Services, a nonprofit that helps residents with jobs and down payments for their new homes, the turnover rates have been high.
Johnson said Opportunity Village and Bay Area Community Services try to reduce the wait time, but sometimes, it takes longer for individuals to find permanent housing and more hand holding or services may be required.
“The idea is for them to have stability as much as possible. Some can take six months, some within weeks,” she said.
Johnson said there isn’t a standard timeframe set to help individuals as their needs differ.
“What we do not want to perpetuate is the cycle of homeliness. If we push them out when they are not ready to be on their own, then they will fall back into that cycle,” she added.
Robert Kraucy, who was born in Antioch, fell into hard times after the pandemic when he lost his job. Although Kraucy now lives in his cousin’s garage with his dog Ming Chow, he wants to have his own place.
“I want to be the boss,” said Kraucy while eating a plate of Gardner’s spaghetti.
But it hasn’t been easy for him. He is in between jobs, and despite applying for housing through Opportunity Village, he has not heard back from the city.
“I guess I don’t call (the city) enough (to check on my application),” he said. “I’m waiting for jobs to come.”
Like Kraucy, 65-year-old Joseph Smith lives in his sister’s garage but often comes to meet his friends who are homeless to uplift their spirits.
“We gather, talk, have a drink or two,” said Smith. “Homeless people often get a bad rap, but they are not robbing people or taking things.”
Both Smith and Gardner hoped the city would stop homeless encampment sweeps as these individuals have nowhere to go.
“There are no shelters in the East (Contra Costa County), and they (police department) know that, the city council, mayor, they all know it, yet they continuously do the sweeps,” said Gardner. “The sweeps need to stop. It’s inhumane. it’s not right.”
Those seeking help can fill out the city’s online form at www.antiochca.gov/ovp or call 510-867-1416.
Originally Published: