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Huntsville agencies team up to help homeless transition from tent camp

The goal is to "connect homeless people in Huntsville with the multifaceted system of available government, private, and non-profit services."

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Several Huntsville agencies have teamed up to help homeless people move temporarily from Mill Street tent camp by I-565/Memorial Parkway.

The Salvation Army and Downtown Rescue Mission will provide a place for them to stay. Leaders say the tent camp is where contractors will make improvements to Pinhook Creek to prevent flooding. 

Huntsville Police Department says Derrick Street and Hall Avenue are another option, but the non-profit agencies are the goal.

First Stop's goal is to, with the person's agreement, enter their identifying information into the Charity Tracker database for more than 200 local agencies. First Stop also shared a new project, Service Provider's Decision Assistance Tool (SPDAT), that "allows homeless service providers to quickly understand the seriousness of the person's need".

"When you're here, the very first day you come in here you're welcome to take a shower. You're welcome to have breakfast with us, you're welcome to have lunch with us. We'll help you do your laundry. If you don't have proper clothing we have friends in town who will take our voucher and clothe people," says First Stop Executive Director, Tim Davis.

HPD will provide transportation for them to move tomorrow.

"We were notified last week and immediately went into the camps and started giving everybody options. Coordinated with everybody so this Monday, everybody, could have the information they needed to get plenty of advance notice," says HPD Community Resource Officer, Sgt. Chris Davis.

First Stop and Wellstone Behavioral Health will also provide services.

HPD is hoping to clear the area by the end of this week, and says the flood mitigation work could take a month to complete.

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