The third day of the Inner-City Action Revival for the homeless went well Thursday with more individuals walking up to the reception table just inside a chain link fence and registering with volunteers who in turn gave them “Revival Bucks” to use as cash for special treatment at the temporary revival site in the former Qualex parking lot on Industrial Park Drive.
Inner City workers Loretta Young and Marissa Codog welcomed them into the program with their contagious smiles and explained where they could go for a meal, a shower, thrift shop, a cup of coffee or even a haircut. The Department of Motor Vehicles also had a tent set up for the incoming homeless on Thursday where they issued 30 ID cards for those in need of identification.
Motor Vehicles staff members said they would be at the St. Mary’s Dining Hall next Wednesday to issue more ID cards to homeless individuals in Stockton, however they didn’t plan to return to Manteca.
Darcie Sours was in charge of the shower trailer facility and welcomed both men and women into her showers – giving them soap, shampoo, towels, socks and clean underwear to put on when they were finished. Nearby were racks of clothes and shoes as well for anyone needing a change of their apparel.
A small tent thrift store made the bathroom basics available using the revival bucks including hand sanitizer and shaving cream and razors. Scarves to help keep warm on the cold nights were also available at the store along with books for children.
Next to the mobile cooking trailer was a large barbecue with food for dinner being cooked in the late afternoon. Most of the homeless come through the gates at breakfast, lunch, and dinner times that will continue through the first week of February, the staff said. There is also a coffee bar for those needing their morning brew.
Thursday at 5 p.m. drummer Morgan Castillo was warming up for an evening performance in the big revival tent with other musicians planning a 6:30 p.m. revival hour for the gathered homeless following dinner.
Inner City Action founder Frank Saldana said the big event under his tent is set for Sunday at 6 p.m. with the band geared up for a big presentation having several homeless individuals tell their stories to the gathering.
Saldana said the numbers were fewer on Thursday because it was “The Point in Time Count” staged to get as accurate count of San Joaquin County’s homeless population as possible. and it seemed like they were hiding out from everybody. The panel trucks they had sent out into the community looking for the homeless in their encampments brought back only three. He noted there were more coming through the front gates of the campus than were found on the streets.
To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.
