On Thursday, June 9, Nevada County neighbors will have an opportunity to participate in Hospitality House’s annual Community Camp Cleanup. This year’s cleanup is hosted in partnership with South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), County of Nevada, Nevada County Waste Management, Common Spirit Health (Dignity Health), Grass Valley Police Department (GVPD), BriarPatch Food Co-op and the Homeless Outreach and Medical Engagement (HOME) team, which is a collaboration between Hospitality House, Nevada County Behavioral Health and Turning Point.
On June 9, Hospitality House and its partners will clean and beautify private land and abandoned homeless camps as well as mitigate for fire with support from volunteers in the community.
“With fire season upon us, helping to reduce potential fuel in the forest is essential,” said Joe Naake, Hospitality House’s outreach director and HOME manager. “In addition to removing debris, our HOME team also works to move people out of the forest and connect them to services, decreasing the forest footprint.”
Hospitality House and HOME routinely dispose of garbage on rural properties and in the Brunswick Basin while encouraging people living in the forest to be fire-safe and remove debris. To aid this endeavor, staff refrains from distributing tents or sleeping bags, and has an agreement with Nevada County Code Enforcement to immediately confiscate and dispose of any items discovered on county land that pose an immediate threat to community safety. Additionally, Hospitality House has a partnership with GVPD, which pairs a Hospitality House clinical social worker with an officer on all homeless-related calls for service. In between calls, the duo engages houseless folks on the streets and in camps to build trust with a goal of connecting them to shelter and related services.
“Reducing the number of people camping in the forest and increasing the number of people utilizing emergency shelter is a common goal of all parties involved,” said Chief of GVPD Police Alex Gammelgard. “The more people we can collectively help together, the safer it makes our community.”
Register Today
To sign up for the Community Camp Cleanup, please email the Hospitality House Development Department at info@hhshelter.org or call (530) 615-0852. No past experience is required but an ability to bend, lift trash, and walk on uneven terrain are a must. Volunteers who own a truck and can help haul debris are greatly appreciated.
Photo by BriarPatch Food Co-op
Know and Go (Advance registration required):
- When: Thursday, June 9 from approximately 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Where to Meet: Grass Valley Vets Hall at 255 S. Auburn St. (space donated by County of Nevada)
- What to Bring/Wear: Work gloves; comfy clothes and closed-toed shoes (bring a truck if you have one!)
All volunteers are required to take safety training onsite and sign a waiver to participate onsite. All volunteers will be provided complimentary breakfast and lunch—donated by BriarPatch Food Co-op.
To reduce camp cleanup costs, SYRCL is lending equipment; Waste Management is donating a 40-foot dumpster; BriarPatch is donating breakfast and lunch for all volunteers; County of Nevada is donating use of its Vets Hall for training and dining; and all parties involved are donating their time and energy to make the cleanup possible, but more help is needed.
To participate, please sign up by Tuesday, June 7. Due to the nature of the event and training requirements, drop in participation will not be accommodated. For more details, visit hhshelter.org or call (530) 615-0852.