Amid the heat wave, local shelters are reaching out to the homeless community to make sure they have the resources they need to avoid heat-related illnesses.
El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO) is one organization helping the homeless in northern San Luis Obispo County.
The overall mission for ECHO is to help homeless community members tap into resources that are available, find stability, and work to get back into housing.
Whether people plan on staying momentarily to escape the sun for the day or need extra shelter, ECHO is a resource for those facing crisis during these scorching temperatures.
“Every single day in Atascadero and Paso Robles, we run a nightly meal program that's available to anyone in the community," Austin Solheim, ECHO Director of Development and Operations said. "They do not have to be a resident. They do not have to be a client. They do not have to be an outreach client. They do not even have to be unhoused. It is just a safe place for anyone to be able to come to cool off, to get food, to get water, all of those resources they might need with case management services on site to help navigate those.”
ECHO also runs a community shower program Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. where people can access services, take a shower, get fresh clean clothes and cool off.
ECHO provides 24/7 water availability with a water bottle refill station provided by city partners, county partners and individual donations.
“Our outreach case managers are going out on a daily basis, loading up our echo van with waters and different resources to really connect with people to let them know 'hey, we do have an emergency shelter program, we do have that shower program, we do have that nightly meal program, we do have water here. How can we help you get to a safe place as well?" Solheim added.
If you wish to donate to ECHO, reusable water bottles for the water refill stations in Atascadero and Paso Robles are one of the many necessities those experiencing homelessness in north county could use.
