Baltimore outreach team helps people experiencing homelessness

Despite cold temperatures in Baltimore, there's always a team that stays out in the cold to check in on those experiencing homelessness. 

The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore's Outreach team is small but covers a lot of ground to make sure those who are unhoused have a warm place to stay.

The team of four canvases across the city, building relationships and sharing resources.

"I get to do God's work every day"

Geon Floyd, the outreach manager, says the work requires lots of care and trust.

"We will spend a lot of time just building rapport," he said. "I can name most of the individuals who are in our district."

The outreach team travels across more than just the downtown area.

"To Johns Hopkins," Floyd said. "We go down to Fort McHenry. We do Riverside."

"Whatever the demographic mix is, are in need, we jump to it," said Duane Saunders, the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore Sr. Vice President of Operations.

Providing resources

Floyd said the first goal is to get individuals to a shelter and out of the bitter cold. 

Saunders said under a code purple for shelters, the Downtown Partnership works with the Mayor's Office to ensure all available beds go to those who are unhoused.

"Through that, we provide transportation to the shelters, to and from," Saunders said.

Saunders added that the team also reached out to roughly 100 individuals recently.

"Unfortunately, about 30%, we consider resource resistant, denied those resources," Saunders said.

That's one of the challenges to this work. However, the team doesn't give up on them. They continue checking up with them and offering services.

"Other than that, we will help assist them with getting their vital documents – ID, birth certificate, social [security number]," Floyd said. "We will even reconnect you to family members if you have one who will receive you."

Of all things, reminding them they are people first.

"We get to be able to bring people the familiarity of remembering them as people. That is the biggest thing we get to do," Floyd said.