30 Nights with the Martinez / Pacheco Homeless Outreach - A Cold, Wet Night

Day 17

6:45 p.m.: Normally I only write about Martinez issues but today I started in Concord on Arnold Industrial Drive. There are 16 homeless that have been camping next to the Lowes and the cemetery. The police tagged all the people camping there because of thefts of brass at the cemetery -- many of you saw it on the news. But it was my job to offer services to everyone; out of 16 only three took what was offered, very discouraging.

Then I'm getting ready to take people to the shelter and I couldn't get a guy up and noticed a needle next to him so I started taking pulse and doing a sternum rub to wake him. He wouldn't wake up so I had to call the police for help. He was taken to the hospital. But everyone out at these camps will have to move tomorrow. I think we will see some of these folks in Martinez very soon and soon they will head to Pacheco. This ate up most of my night with medic statements and trips to the shelter .

10 p.m. - Martinez: I just went to the Amtrak Station; I contacted a few people and made sure everyone had dry socks on and dry blankets. Then I headed down Alhambra Avenue where I saw a man sleeping in his car, so I spoke to him. He said he was fine but needed a blanket so I gave him one and I was off.

Then I headed down by the John Muir House along Highway Four; usually there is a man that camps there. He has bad heart issues so I went to check on him. He was soaked so I hooked him up with blankets and plastic. But again pretty dead in Martinez but busy elsewere.