The Salvation Army continues to manage the homeless camp at Centennial Campground in Anchorage. The latest situation report from the Salvation Army advises that 34 people, including four families, have been relocated from the campground to other housing.
The Salvation Army has done initial assessments with 69 of the people at the camp to determine their individual situations and needs. The camp census is 143 people at this time, an elastic number as people come and go. One person’s life has been saved from an overdose of an opioid drug by the use of Narcan by staff on site; another person died of an overdose.
Meanwhile, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, a revolutionary socialist/communist organization in Anchorage, plans a protest at today’s regular Anchorage Assembly meeting, in which they repeat the verbiage from the leftists on the Assembly, saying the campground is a “humanitarian crisis,” the same words used by Assemblyman Chris Constant and his allies.
The campground was set up in July to reduce the risk of wildfires from the illegal encampments around the wooded areas of Anchorage. A few dozen of the people who had been sleeping at the Sullivan Arena came over to the Centennial Campground, as the Sullivan was closed on July 1.
The Salvation Army assumed case management and social service coordination at the campground, and is helping find suitable solutions for each individual camper.
The Salvation Army also reports:
- Two people have been assisted in getting back to their families in other communities — one elderly homeless person is leaving for family in Texas, and another person is leaving for St. Paul Island, where he has family.
- Ten of the homeless people in the campground have been signed up for a workforce development program with Beans Cafe.
- Security continues to be a priority at the camp with checks by a private security firm day and night, and routine checks by police. Staff continues to do hourly checks of the campground to ensure it is as safe as possible.
- The Salvation Army and Parks and Recreation are meeting daily to coordinate their efforts. Some 18 agencies are now involved. A conex trailer has been brought to the campground to help expedite the distribution of tents, sleeping bags, blankets, boots, coats, and other items. Bear-proof containers are now on site.
