Resources for the unsheltered in the Reno-Sparks area

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - The winter is a tough time for those without a home. Last year, nearly 100 homeless died in Reno.

To help this population, Sparks PD has an outreach team called Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement. They focus on calls for service or incidents revolving around unsheltered individuals.

At the city level, Reno has their Clean and Safe Program. They focus on providing information to the unsheltered.

The City of Reno has recently started “city walks” where each day they assess the downtown area.

This outreach team includes Reno Fire in case anyone needs medical assistance. Information is provided to these individuals on housing and getting them to a shelter.

Cynthia Esparza, Chief of Equity and Community Relations Officer for the city of Reno shared,

“We have made those connections and developed trust. A couple of weeks ago a woman who we had previously talked to did not want to go to the shelter. She did not seek assistance at that time, but when she saw us again, she reached out to us and said I want to go to the shelter. We were able to facilitate that transportation.”

Jaime Ahdunko, Supervisor for the Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement Team at Sparks PD, mentioned what they want the community to know.

“We are here, and we are doing our best. Anything they think we should know about, call our dispatch or go online and report it so we can start getting out there and meeting these folks that are out in the community.”

Volunteering in the community is highly encouraged to provide aid to the unsheltered.

For more information on shelters and care centers in the area, they are listed below.

Northern Nevada Cares Campus

VA Homeless Program

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