We service 20 different camps in the city of Richmond. The regularity of our visits depends on the size of the camp, but the total is 23 camp visits every week. The largest sites we service are the RV camp at Castro & Hensley St., and the RV camp along Rydin Rd. We visit each of these RV camps 5 times/week. These large camps are where we provide showers and bathrooms.
The main service we offer to all camps we visit is trash removal, which is incredibly important for health and safety, not only of camp residents, but the surrounding neighborhood. Through our regular trash pickups we’ve hauled over 300 tons of trash since July 2021.
On top of trash hauling, SOS provides holistic support. We assist camp dwellers with finding more suitable shelter, whether that’s repairing/weatherizing an RV, or connecting them to housing resources. We also provide survival gear during severe weather, as well as meals and clothing.
Ultimately we aim to empower people experiencing houselssness by identifying leaders who can improve conditions in the camps. We also connect those who want or need new job skills with rewarding employment and skill development programs.