Share Outreach & Talkin’ Trash Program

Share Outreach serves more than 880 hard-to-reach and hard-to-serve homeless individuals each year.

Our Outreach Team serves those who are hardest to reach by going into the community and bringing services to them. Many of our clients struggle in accessing services due to mobility, physical and mental health concerns, or difficulty in being around large groups of people. Our Outreach Team works to bridge that gap so that everyone experiencing homelessness in Clark County has access to a variety of services that can better their situation.

We serve all of Clark County, spending most of our time in Vancouver. We have a client-centered approach, meaning we are open to assisting individuals in whatever goals they have for themselves. This means we can help in a variety of ways, including the services listed below:

  • Benefits assistance
  • Housing assistance, including completing housing assessments in the field for those who are unable to go to the Housing Solutions Center
  • Providing basic needs/supplies
  • Direct referrals for physical health, mental health, and substance abuse services
  • Providing information on where to access services throughout Clark County
  • Transportation assistance

Contact our Outreach staff at (360) 952-8201, Monday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

You can help with donations of basic needs/supplies, such as:

  • Soft, non-perishable foods:  tuna packets  |  tuna salad & chicken salad snack kits
    cheese and/or peanut butter crackers  |   chewy granola and/or snack bars
    squeezable packets of apple sauce, smoothies, and yogurt
  • Personal hygiene items – NEW & travel-sized:   shampoo & conditioner  |  soap
    toothbrush & toothpaste  |  razors  |  deodorant & personal wipes  |  socks
  • Bottled water & protein shakes
  • Sleeping bags, tents, tarps, hand warmers, ponchos, emergency blankets, backpacking or hiking-style backpacks

To schedule a donation drop off:
Brittany Hardaway at 360-952-8312
bhardaway@sharevancouver.org

Many times, we focus on building relationships with people who are experiencing homelessness. Then, when they are ready for a change, they know who to contact.

The Outreach Team also provides community education around issues of homelessness and the safest ways in working with the population. We are available to meet with business owners and other community members about these difficult issues.

Last, but certainly not least, our Outreach Team operates a Syringe Services Program. We are able to provide syringe access and disposal, safer sex supplies, Naloxone, overdose prevention and response training, wound care and abscess prevention supplies, resources and referrals to other community agencies, camping, hygiene, and other emergency supplies. We also use this service as an engagement tool to build relationships and speak with people about housing and other services.

We Care About Our Community: Share’s Talkin’ Trash Project Makes a Difference!

The program’s crew includes six community cleaners, on-call cleaners, and one supervisor, each of whom has formerly or is currently experiencing homelessness. The crew works 9 am – 5:30 pm, Monday – Friday cleaning up litter and waste throughout the City. Community Cleaners also receive housing search assistance, general case management, and job and life skill training throughout their time in the program.

The crew has a weekly route, and adds extra stops as requests for service are received. The weekly route includes: Esther Short Park, Vancouver Library, Share House and the surrounding blocks, the Fourth Plain Corridor from downtown to east Vancouver, and multiple bicycle paths and City parks.

When the crews encounter a camp, they work with the individual(s) to collect trash/litter from the site. The crew does not remove camps or personal belongings. The Talking Trash crew works closely with Share’s Street Outreach team to ensure that those in need of resources and services have access to them.

Vancouver Police Department and Code Compliance follow up on illegal camps and carry out the city’s policy and procedure regarding personal belongings.

For more information on Talking Trash, call (360) 798-0611.

To report litter or other issues on public property, please contact the City Public Works Operations Dispatch line at (360) 487-8177.

Share’s Confidentiality Policy | Share’s Privacy Policy | Notice of Privacy Practices

 

Your Generosity Helps Our Neighbors

Please consider an online donation today.

Donate Resources

Donations of physical goods are always welcome. High-need items include non-perishable food, new hygiene & personal care items and new cleaning supplies.

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