With coronavirus a part of daily life in Central Kentucky, Polly Ruddick says the homeless community is, quote, “hanging in there.” Ruddick is director of Lexington’s Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention.
She said the disease and attention given to it is causing stress among the homeless. “When you’re experiencing homelessness, you feel a lack of control anyway and then you add this on top of it. Things kind of building up. We had some folks have a little bit of anxiety. We have upped our mental health counseling and services in all of shelters and day centers. Just to make sure we had somebody there that folks could talk to,” said Ruddick.
Ruddick noted the switch is being made to take out meals, so there is a need for boxes, plastic ware, and bottled water. She added those donations can be taken directly to shelters. There’s still the need for hand sanitizers, Lysol, and Clorox wipes. And Ruddick said those at highest risk within the homeless community are being separated out from the general homeless population.
Here's the interview with Polly Ruddick:
