BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Community Action Partnership of Kern and a variety of other local organizations came together earlier this year to provide a safe campsite and resources for the homeless community in the area.
It has been just about a month since CAPK’s M Street Navigation Center opened its safe camping site and the director of community development says that the turnout has been great as they have already reached full capacity.
The campsite currently consists of 24 tents that each have their own canopy and a 10 by 15-foot artificial grass area.
Rebecca Moreno, director of community development at CAPK says over the past 3 to 4 weeks there have been many positive encounters among the clients as they are provided with 3 meals a day, a restroom area, and medical services from Kern Medical.
“Everyone kind of takes their own space and keeps to themselves but we are already forming a community. We have clients here who get up and start cleaning the area and start picking up any trash that might be laying around. It is very quickly becoming a safe community for them.”
Moreno adds that they expect to increase their capacity to 40 tents at the campsite in the near future. She says one of the measures they are taking to alleviate some of the heat during the summer season is by adding a misting system to cool off the campsite’s picnic area.
The organization is accepting donations at this time such as hygiene kits, sleeping bags, and tents.
