Daniel Pitino Shelter

Local Youth Serve to Fight Homelessness

Photos by Whitney Phelps Photography + Design

Henderson is bustling with volunteer opportunities that allow us as individuals to make a difference to those who need it most. One of the most vulnerable groups of people that need serving is the homeless population. Homeless people face many struggles, including poverty, food scarcity, lack of shelter, and very limited resources. Thankfully, there are some organizations in Henderson that are working to face this crisis and to help those in need. The Daniel Pitino Shelter of Owensboro has dedicated a resource office in Henderson that aims to assist the community.

The Daniel Pitino Shelter, the Henderson Homeless Coalition, the Housing Authority, and other local organizations have organized a resource office that provides outreach to the Henderson area for the homeless. The resource office, located at 602 8th Street, opened in July of 2024 and has been staffed by community outreach specialist Melissa Collier and street outreach coordinator Jessica Lang. Melissa has helped to bring this office to life, and she had much to say about the work that she does. Melissa expressed: “Our main goal is to do outreach with the homeless and to keep people from becoming homeless. We do a lot of different things that would be beneficial to keeping someone in their home from being evicted if they are behind on rent or experiencing struggles. We help families get into homes and help them pay their future rent and deposits and get them off the street. We also help people sign up for the Housing Authority and Section-8 and get them set up with whatever resources we can.” 

Volunteer opportunities are available for all, but the resource office has put a heavy focus on ways for teenagers to get involved. Most volunteer events are at the Henderson County Public Library or the Chloe Randolph Organization. There have been events where teens were able to pass out food to the homeless and times when the teens met at the laundromat to assist with laundry services and funding for the machines. Recently, teens helped with an event where the mobile dental clinic provided free cleanings and services for the homeless community. Melissa stated that The Port has helped immensely with volunteer events and that many teens got involved through them. She reported that many Henderson County High School students have also been in attendance. Melissa estimated that over 25 different teenagers have gotten involved with the resource officer since its founding. 

According to Melissa, there are many upcoming events that teenagers can get involved with. More food, laundry, and dental health activities are coming up, as well as various other events where volunteers will be needed. She encouraged anyone interested to reach out to her for opportunities at [email protected] or at 270-823-5469. She also encouraged anyone to reach out to her if they have ideas about other ways to get involved to help the homeless community. To those thinking about volunteering, Melissa said: “Just do it and see what it’s like to impact other people. I feel like it’s a blessing to come forward and volunteer to serve others. I think that if more people got rid of the stigma of homelessness, more people would want to get involved.”

There are also always several items that the homeless community needs. An Amazon wish-list can be found on the resource office’s Facebook page, titled Daniel Pitino Homeless Prevention/Intervention Services. All events and volunteer opportunities will be posted on this page. 

Melissa stated: “We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the following individuals for their unwavering support at the Daniel Pitino Henderson Office. Your dedication and commitment have made a significant impact, and we are truly appreciative of your continued partnership and efforts.” 

Melissa thanked all of the following for their unwavering support: Britney Smith and Karen Raber of Henderson Habitat for Humanity, Rev. Charles Johnson of the Henderson Human Rights Coalition, city and county commissioners, Tammy Willet and Cyndee Burton of the City of Henderson, Kenny Garrett and Jill Ward of Henderson EMA, Bobby Jarrett of the Housing Authority, Sybil Keach of Community Baptist Church, Sandy Sallee of ARC, Harry Pedigo, director of the Daniel Pitino Shelter, and she thanked the Henderson Community as a whole for being so welcoming and eager to assist.