Sammy Stell is able to relate to the homeless neighbors he serves.<\/p>\n
The reason? He was once homeless. Stell lost everything while experiencing a relapse into drug use and going through a divorce before the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
He was eventually able to find employment through Cloud Covered Streets<\/a>, a former nonprofit that offered showers, laundry and haircuts to homeless people for free \u2014 all from the back of a trailer towed by a truck. Through that organization, Stell was able to find a job while supporting community members who needed basic support.<\/p>\n \u201cIt allows me to connect with them, and it allows them to know that they can trust me,\u201d Stell said.<\/p>\n When Cloud Covered Streets, a national organization based in Phoenix, decided to stop providing services in Fort Worth, former members of the organization wanted to continue being there for neighbors.<\/p>\n All that was needed was a clean start \u2014 literally.<\/p>\n Clean Start Outreach<\/a>, a nonprofit providing the same services as its predecessor, is set to launch Friday. The nonprofit, fully led by locals, has already begun parking its trailer in church lots and offering neighbors hot showers, clean clothes and haircuts. Leaders of Clean Start Outreach are using this week\u2019s kickoff event to officially announce itself as a community resource.<\/p>\n Sarah Daniel, the new nonprofit\u2019s treasurer, said continuing this work was never a question. At the tail end of Cloud Covered Streets\u2019 time in Tarrant County, the organization was providing about 5,000 showers a year, she said.<\/p>\n If you go<\/p>\n What: Grand Opening of Clean Start Outreach If you go<\/p>\n What: Clean Start Outreach benefit \u201cSeeing that impact of not just getting a shower but restoring some hope to some people that maybe haven\u2019t had a shower in a week or several weeks, and having them come to it and connect with them while they\u2019re there, was a big part of it,\u201d Daniel said.<\/p>\n Daniel and co-founders Gina Barton and Margaret Smith have been building Clean Start Outreach since July.<\/p>\n Some parts went smoothly. Many of the relationships developed with churches and sponsors were easy conversations to pick up again.<\/p>\n Other things were a little more difficult. Clean Start Outreach needed to build a new mobile unit.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just got the new one up and built as soon as we could, and we\u2019re excited to be back out and running,\u201d Daniel said.<\/p>\n On top of Clean Start Outreach\u2019s hard launch Oct. 23, the nonprofit is hosting a benefit two days later in an attempt to raise funds and develop new community partnerships.<\/p>\n Along with a desire for more funding sponsors, Daniel said she hopes the nonprofit\u2019s launch this weekend brings in more volunteers to help run the operation.\u00a0<\/p>\n The benefits are not exclusive to the homeless neighbor being helped. Daniel views Clean Start Outreach as a conduit to help change perspectives aimed at those experiencing homelessness.<\/p>\n Daniel noted that starting a nonprofit was not easy. However, the support from church partners, many of whom worked with the previous organization, made it easier.<\/p>\n Where can you find the Clean Start Outreach mobile unit<\/p>\n Community Crossroads, 1516 Hemphill St. The goal, Daniel said, is to have the trailer with shower and laundry services at one of the locations three times a week.<\/p>\n The churches \u201cnot only said yes, you can continue to have your trailers, but some of the organizations even helped to pitch in towards the purchase of the new trailer,\u201d Daniel said.<\/p>\n For Stell, now the operations manager for Clean Start Outreach, the friendships developed with his neighbors gave him and others at the nonprofit the unique perspective that the work needed to continue.<\/p>\n \u201cWe told them we were going to be there and they have developed trust in us,\u201d Stell said. \u201cIt\u2019s something that we know some of the people in Tarrant County need.\u201d<\/p>\n Ismael M. Belkoura is the nonprofit editor for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from North Texas Community Foundation. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n
When: 9 a.m.-noon Oct. 23
Where: Broadway Baptist Church, 305 W. Broadway Ave.<\/p>\n
When: Noon Oct. 25
Where: Longhorn Saloon, 121 N. Exchange Ave.<\/p>\n
\nBroadway Baptist Church, 305 W. Broadway Ave.
\nFirst United Methodist Church of Fort Worth, 800 W. 5th St.
\nFirst United Methodist Church of Arlington, 313 N. Center St.<\/p>\n