Residents Respond To Shelter
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
St. Landry Parish residents are receiving an exemplary grade from parish officials for responding to the needs of a parish-operated warming shelter which opened in Opelousas beginning Jan. 24.
Parish government community outreach director Ci Ci Savoy gave residents a “10 out of 10,” for their donations, assistance, food contributions and other items needed to operate the Indian Hills Country Club facility during freezing conditions this month.
Savoy said on Saturday that the Country Club has averaged about 23 persons each night since it opened over two weeks ago.
The shelter, said Savoy, is scheduled to close on Monday, as parish temperatures are expected to rise this week.
Savoy said that on occasions, individuals have brought cooked food, while businesses have also donated meals. People have brought snacks and other food items.
Donations have included clothing items suitable for winter in addition to socks and shoes, said Savoy. Blankets and towels have also been brought to assist, she added.
“St. Landry Parish has really stood up,” noted Savoy who has spent every night at the shelter since it opened.
What Savoy said she wasn’t prepared for is the number of individuals in need of sufficient shelter and help.
“It’s been heartbreaking. You rarely see the number of individuals out there. The team we have here (at the shelter) has seen that and we are hoping to provide more of a long range or outreach plan that is going to assess the needs and work with the families,” Savoy said.
People that have occupied the shelter normally leave during the day and reappear in the evenings, said Savoy, who received one of the two 2025 Employee of The Year Awards presented by parish president Jessie Bellard at the State of The Parish event last week.
“Some of the people who come here have had their pipes freeze. Others have been unable to pay their heating bills. We are trying to find assistance for those. We have purchased heaters, while Evangeline Downs has donated some.
“Individuals with special needs children have gotten help and we have (Community Action Agency) bus transportation if needed, because it’s been too cold for them to walk,” Savoy added.
In some cases Savoy said, the parish has provided individuals at the shelter with rides to the work place, while Bellard has provided out of town bus transportation for those who have shown up for assistance while moving through the parish without transportation.
“Our shelter has been open to anyone. We have had travelers staying here. One person was walking from Florida. He was picked up on the highway and brought here. (Bellard) provided him with a bus ticket to California,” said Savoy.
There has been shelter help for the area’s homeless population, but Savoy said the parish is working on solutions to provide more help or perhaps reunite them with families.
“At night we have been going out and looking for persons in places where we know they might be and pick them up and bring them into the shelter,” Savoy added.
Bellard, Savoy said, has been active with providing backup for her and those who are helping at the shelter.
“He (Bellard) usually comes here very early in the morning and checks on us to make sure everything is all right with us. Mr. Jessie might get a call at 3 am that there is someone on the street and he will work to get them over here to the shelter where we can offer a warmer place,” Savoy said.
