Civic leaders and community members gathered in La Jolla for an ending homelessness summit. An annual event that looks at ways to address this crisis.
One of those in attendance Barbara Gates who showed up for her son Jack.
He was a scholar athlete, he graduated from Oceanside High School, and was in college working to become a social justice advocate, which is when he began to struggle with mental health issues.
Gates says, “He went from a happy hard working honor student to a dark drug addicted drop out in one semester.”
Jack returned home and ended up on the street despite help from his family.
Gates says he’d get in trouble with the law and would get sent to a treatment facility. But Jack wouldn’t stay.
She says, “people like my son while they're ill they want to be outside it's a community for them I feel like we have to meet them where they are. “
And that’s why she felt it was important to attend State Senator Catherine Blakespear’s annual “ Ending Homelessness Summit,” which brings state and local leaders together to talk about ways to tackle this problem, which is to provide those who are unsheltered options.
From opening up more shelters, creating more affordable housing, and making resources more accessible.
Blakespear says, “That is exactly why we have to say yes to things like a $10 million grant for tiny homes. We need all solutions. We need congregate shelters .. we need beds .. interim shelters. ."
Better options, Gates says may have saved her son’s life. She adds, “That's impossible for me to know but he never he might have had a chance .. might have had a chance.”
