Bus fares a big help to homeless.

Byline: GUEST VIEWPOINT By Kitty Piercy and Susan Ban For The Register-Guard

When someone mentions the word "homeless," an image is created in many people's minds of a man or woman on the street corner, sign in hand, asking for money. Some will think, `How did this person get to such a place?' Or, `So many businesses are looking for employees; why doesn't this person simply get a job?'

Then the light turns green, and that's the last they think about it - until the next time the light turns red and they are at the corner reading the message on the sign.

What people don't see are families with working parents who simply don't make enough money to find affordable housing. They don't see valuable housing services provided by volunteers in interfaith organizations, or the high-quality services provided through a network of nonprofit agencies. Nor does it register that local businesses have stepped up with funding and in-kind services to support facility restoration projects that house these needed services.

What people don't see are the children who don't make it to school every day because their families don't know where they will be from one day to the next. They don't see a school secretary spending her own money to ensure a child has a bus token to get to class the next day.

During a time when governments often are viewed as not cooperating with one another over key community issues, it is worthwhile to note that there are partnerships working daily to address such issues as homelessness.

Prompted by the Eugene City Council, the city of Eugene has made homeless issues a priority in its work plan and, more importantly, in its budget.

However, homelessness is not just an issue for the city of Eugene. Homelessness is an issue for all of us, and it will take all of us to solve it. Nonprofit organizations, private businesses, interfaith organizations and governments are coming together in such partnerships.

For example, the city of Eugene's allocation of $50,000 to provide transportation for the homeless already is at work. By partnering with the Lane Transit District and 24 local nonprofit programs, funds are being used to purchase bus fares for those in need.

Fast action was possible because LTD has provided a discount purchase program for local nonprofits for many years. The influx of city of Eugene funds means that nonprofits will better meet the demand for local transportation services.

Why are these bus fares important? To move away from homelessness, a person needs to be able to pursue employment opportunities, search for housing, get needed medical and family services, and generally have a reasonable level of mobility. Moving away from homelessness requires transportation.

Meeting current transportation demand is important, but to achieve greater success, the city's funding of transportation for the homeless is being leveraged to create a pool of funds that will stretch the dollars further. A major part of the $50,000 allocation will be used as matching funds for federal grants targeted for partnership programs such as the one formed in Eugene.

Transportation is one piece of the complex puzzle of homelessness. Transitional and permanent housing, job training, medical services, mental health services, child care and other support services need funding. Partnerships are forming to work toward solutions that provide a global approach to these issues.

Homelessness costs each of us in many ways. The key is seeing beyond the man or woman with the sign, recognizing the work being done and finding ways to become involved.

The community benefit of a comprehensive homeless initiative is significant, and it starts with partnerships. It starts with you.

Kitty Piercy is mayor of Eugene. Susan Ban is the executive director of ShelterCare and a Lane Transit District board member.