For Tommy Singley, a former resident of the Salt River bed in Tempe, the journey from homelessness to having a stable house has been long and challenging. Outreach teams from Tempe’s HOPE program worked for months to build a rapport with Singley, who had lived outdoors for much of his adult life despite periodic stints of stability. In a statement obtained by a recent article, Singley said, “I’ve never met an organization in my life that stretched themselves as far as they did.” Faced with dangers like flooding and fires in the river bed, and struggling with a painful medical condition, Singley’s hesitance to leave the streets was worn away by the persistent care of the HOPE team.
Tempe’s approach to engaging with the chronically homeless, like Singley, involves treating them as individuals and meeting them where they are at on their journey. HOPE Coordinator Kim Jackson told the publication that outreach could take “weeks, months, even years,” owing to the complex challenges faced by those on the streets. Offering a bottle of water or a sack lunch to Singley on some days, and on others, connecting him with on-the-spot medical care, the HOPE team consistently demonstrated their dedication, searching out for him relentlessly. Singley recalled how this made him feel seen as “a human, not just a number.”
Michelle Ploof-Metcalf, a HOPE Outreach Specialist, recollected the pivotal moment when Tommy agreed to accept help. According to her statement to the publication, Singley’s acceptance jump-started his journey to stable housing. Through the Tempe-owned bridge shelter, Sue’s Espacio, and regional coordination efforts, Singley quickly moved off the streets. He now benefits from permanent supportive housing equipped with regular social services, a dedicated case manager, and transportation to medical appointments, ensuring he remains stable and housed…