Friends In Helping Need and its programs offered to the homeless

Friends in Service Helping is touted as "a complete human services program," established May 1, 1979, when St. Teresa of Avila Catholic, First United Methodist, Stewart Community Baptist and First Presbyterian churches were asked to help individuals and families with a variety of needs, primarily food.

No church could handle the load by itself, so a group of ecumenical ministers began to discuss ways they might address those needs. A Volunteers in Service to America volunteer, Lea Giffin, opened her own garage as a food bank and began to distribute food and coats for the local churches.

After finding a transient frozen to death in a local super market parking lot, a group of citizens formed Friends of Citizens Under Stress, secured a deserted building and opened rural Nevada's only homeless shelter.

VISTA and FOCUS later merged and the original Focus House shelter still operates in the original building. VISTA, a federal program, remains in operation.

Since FISH was generated through the leadership of several ministers, it has remained responsive to requests for service from churches and ministers. A significant amount of financial support and volunteer power comes from local churches.

All FISH programs provide temporary or emergency assistance for the client willing to work toward solutions to their problems.

"Those who go into the temporary shelters must be families," said Monte Fast, executive director of FISH.

To qualify, they must be a single mom or single dad, or two parents who are married with one of the parents working full-time.

FISH's programs are funded 91.5 percent by private donations. The other 8.5 percent comes through federal grants such as Emergency Shelter Grant, Community Service Block Grant and Housing and Urban Development.

About $65,000 came from area businesses, private donations and churches in 1999.

"Administrative costs are kept ridiculously low," said Fast.

"The families are allowed to stay in the homes up to two years," said Pat Hardy, supervisor of FISH's homeless programs.

"We remove obstacles for them and give them to opportunity to become a stable family. They are followed closely by me in a weekly case management. I visit with them to see how they are progressing."

"We are peddlers of hope," added Fast. "The name of the program is 'Starting Over - Stepping Higher.' "

About one-half of Western Nevada Community College GED graduates come through FISH's program.

How you can help:

Volunteer time, money, clothing, food, household supplies

To donate: Go to FISH, 138 E. Long St., Carson City

To volunteer: Call 882-3474

MULTIPLE BREAKOUTS:

Here are services available through FISH:

-- Emergency night shelter (Focus House)

-- Utility assistance

-- Mental health referrals

-- Transient gas and bus tickets

-- Daily hot meal at FISH Family Dining Room

-- Ross Medical Clinic

-- GED diplomas

-- Food bank

-- Eight low-income homes

-- Free coats and emergency clothing

-- Child care vouchers

-- Showers and laundry

-- Complete intake and referral services

-- Two thrift stores, Carson City and Gardnerville

FISH's 2000-2001 budget is about $1.2 million:

Staff and supplies, $148,000

Focus House, $34,800

Low-income residences, $56,600

Child care, $17,600

State of Nevada for rent, $13,000

FISH Dining Room, $61,000

Food Bank, $352,000

Ross Medical Clinic, $16,000

Payroll, insurance, $380,045

Payroll taxes, $68,661

Benefits, $15,140

Utilities, $81,840

FISH 1999 Statistics

Served 14,233 individuals in Carson City

1,719 from Lyon County

559 from Douglas County

114 from Storey County

399 transient individuals

Provided 5,110 nights of shelter

$13,361 in utility assistance

$1,758 in prescriptions

$5,035 for child care

$21,500 grants from thrift stores

Served 151,974 food bank meals

28,134 dining room meals

6,657 shelter meals

Provided 213 transient gas vouchers or bus tickets

1,668 showers

1,791 laundry services

$21,777 for rental assistance