Residents in Action continue to help Jackson's homeless population

• Video shows the Homelessness and Housing Resource Fair, where over 30 organizations came to provide resources to neighbors struggling with homelessness.
• The event was held at the former T.A. Wilson Academy, which has been functioning as a temporary shelter since November.
• According to Residents in Action (owners of the shelter), the shelter has been open during reduced hours, due to a lack of funding.

Whether it was getting a license, tax assistance, or a warm meal, neighbors struggling with homelessness found some of those resources at the Homelessness and Housing Resource Fair on Thursday.

One neighbor in particular, Sally Hebner, who has struggled with homelessness shared, "Living on the streets...it's hard." She attended the event with the hopes of getting a Medicaid card and help going back to school to learn how to read and write.

The effort to solve homelessness in Jackson has seen its challenges. Myeshia Jones, from Residents in Action, shared that, due to a lack of funding, the shelter at T.A. Wilson has had to reduce their hours and shut down the pallet house program. However, at the same time, Tashia Carter shared the need for help is still very much out there. "The calls have not stopped. When we find ourselves in the building doing paperwork - on the off hours, people still knock on the door. The need is not going away." According to Carter, between the months of November and March when it was operating full-time, they received over 200 inquiries and were able to serve 111.

Meaning, the resources provided Thursday are more timely than ever. However, with some help, the shelter isn't gone for good. "We're receiving support from different organizations and individuals in our community. Our goal is, really, to get back to that 24. hours, because we want to provide transitional housing," Jones said.

Residents in Action have a goal of turning T.A. Wilson into a resident-led community center, providing resources, like the ones provided at the fair on Thursday, year-round.

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