SPEAKER_00 0:00

Good afternoon, Bluffs Country. I'm Peggy Sweet and this is Belonging in the Bluffs, brought to you by the Iowa West Foundation. I'm joined in studio once again with my friend William. He is the Chief Operations Officer at New Vision's Homeless Services. Welcome, William.

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Hi, Peggy. Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Yes, how are you doing today?

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Doing pretty good.

SPEAKER_00 0:17

Good. I'm glad to hear that. You've got to be a little bit excited. You've got a new program starting.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

Yeah, we do. We have a program coming up called the Clean Start Crew. We're going to be unveiling it next week. And really, it's a program that kind of came about for a couple of reasons. One, we were trying to think as an organization for a way for us to give back to the broader Council Bluffs community. And so this ticks that box. And then also for a way to help the folks that we serve to develop some work skills. So Clean Start Crew is going to be a group that goes out, cleans up abandoned encampments, other areas around the city, kind of a beautification project in a way. But then also the work-related skills that we can hopefully impart to our folks that are interested. We have, I think at this point, as of yesterday, we had 35 of our clients that were interested in participating. So we're going to have a weeding out procedure because we can't accommodate 35 people.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Okay. So tell me just a little bit more about this in depth. What does this completely entail? Is this you're getting to know the people in the encampments if they're in the encampments or well as a as an organization, we we do that with our street outreach um program.

SPEAKER_01 1:28

So they're they're out in the encampments and helping people with basic resources that they need, but also um getting connected to like getting an ID, getting um signed up for um Medicaid, uh insurance, SNAP benefits, things of that nature. Um so as an organization, yeah, we definitely are already out in the encampments, but this is a way for us to um that's kind of providing a service that's case management, but this is a way to to help the community and the encampments in a way. So uh we'll work a little bit in conjunction with the the hop team um with the council bluffs PD. Um we've got a couple of areas identified already that are kind of prime targets for us to to roll out with our first week next week and and clean up some areas.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

That's really exciting, William. So let me make sure I understand this. So the people that are receiving the clean the clean street crew services, that is the community here of Council Bluffs, right?

SPEAKER_01 2:18

That's correct. Yeah, it's our our way to give back to the community.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

And the people that are providing these services are the people that are enrolled in the shelter and the street outreach programs.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

Yeah, it'll be primarily folks that are staying in our emergency shelter, but we do have a few individuals um that are enrolled in our street outreach program that are interested in contributing as well.

SPEAKER_00 2:34

What a great program.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 2:36

What a great way to give back to the community. It's just full circle.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

It is. Yeah, we have a lot of our folks are from Council Bluffs, have lived in Council Bluffs their whole life, and you know, they they care about their community um just as much as somebody who's who's housed. And the goal obviously is that eventually folks that are in homelessness will exit homelessness and re-enter the community in a way that maybe currently they're not seen as being a part of.

SPEAKER_00 2:58

Is there a way for us to help?

SPEAKER_01 3:00

That's a really good question. Um, one of one of the things that we're working on right now is um dumpsters, acquiring dumpsters. So if if we have an encampment that's very large and has a lot of items that um can't easily fit into the back of our van to dispose of, then we're trying to coordinate and figure out a way um to be able to have some dumpsters on site. Um so I'm working with um the hop team and just trying to trying to explore uh if those dumpsters can be provided or if they're things that we need to rent. Um but if anybody has a lead on any dumpsters or owns a dumpster company, uh roll off container company, and would be interested in um contributing to this program, um please reach out to me. Uh you can email me at wbrown at newvisionshs.org.

SPEAKER_00 3:44

I'm sure dumpsters uh would go a long way. That would be a great way for anyone to help. But if you're unable to do it that way and you would like to help financially, you have a button on your website, I believe.

SPEAKER_01 3:55

We do, yeah. If you go to um newvisionshs.org and follow the how to help link, um, that'll take you to a couple different ways to um help us out, whether that be financially in-kind donations um or with volunteering with our organization.

SPEAKER_00 4:09

Volunteering's always a great way to give back.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Absolutely. Maybe we can't do what we do without uh a large number of volunteers to help us out.

SPEAKER_00 4:16

Absolutely. Um and this community really rallies together. So I appreciate you coming on again today, William. And uh again, his email is Wbrown at newvisions hs.org.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

Correct. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

If you know, if you have dumpsters or know of a way to get some dumpsters for William and this project, clean start crew coming up starting next week.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Yes, correct.

SPEAKER_00 4:43

Please email.

SPEAKER_01 4:44

I'm very excited.

SPEAKER_00 4:44

Yes, that would be great. Uh and also don't forget you can always help at newvisions hs.org, whether it be financially or volunteering. It makes your heart feel good when you volunteer.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Yes, we we love our volunteers.

SPEAKER_00 4:58

William, thank you so much for stopping by. I'll probably see you next month or out in the crew.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

Yep, sounds good.

SPEAKER_00 5:04

This has been Belonging in the Bluffs, brought to you by the Iowa West Foundation.