Shelbi, a veteran who once fought for her country, now fights for those struggling to survive on the streets of Grants Pass. Not only is she a volunteer helping the homeless, but her dedication is driven by personal experience—she too has been homeless.
“I’ve found myself in a unique position,” Shelbi says. “Not just as someone who volunteers to help the homeless, but as someone who has lived their struggles firsthand.” She secured housing just before the encampment she used to help shut down. But as the encampment was closed, and a new law criminalizing sleeping in public took effect, Shelbi couldn’t stand by.
“I knew I had to do something,” she explains. “I couldn’t just watch as the situation grew more difficult for those without homes. I made sure to be there hours before they shut it down to help people get their essentials ready and to start the transportation before the camp closed.”
Shelbi’s first trip to transport people didn’t go as planned. While assisting a disabled woman who had broken her back the previous year, Shelbi’s van—her only means of transportation—was impounded by the police. “It was devastating. That van was my family’s only way to get around,” she recalls. However, Shelbi didn’t let that stop her mission. A friend helped her get a truck and trailer, and she continued transporting people to safety.
Her efforts continued as Shelbi formed a new plan to help others who were stranded. “I had a feeling one person would still be there, so I made a pot of malt o’ meal for those left behind. It was a small gesture, but it was a way of warming their bellies and spirits,” Shelbi says. As she distributed the food, she asked others about the man she was searching for.
When Shelbi finally found him, huddled under a blanket in the cold, she reassured him that he hadn’t been forgotten. “I let him know I had a plan in place with a friend who would bring a U-Haul van to help him move in the morning,” Shelbi shares. However, the next morning, Shelbi learned that the U-Haul had fallen through.
“I was so sad to let him down. He had been counting on me,” Shelbi says. Despite the setbacks, Shelbi didn’t give up. She tried tirelessly to secure transportation, but as nightfall approached, she had no other option but to move his belongings on foot.
“The cart was extremely hard to pull. The cold was unbearable, and I feared frostbite. But I refused to give up. I couldn’t let him down after everything we had been through,” Shelbi says. The journey was grueling, and at one point, both of them took shelter under a tarp to escape the freezing temperatures. “We huddled together to stay warm, and I couldn’t help but feel the weight of what these people go through, especially during the winter. It’s cruel and dangerous.”
As they sat together, a third homeless man approached. “I just wanted to see if you were OK, and be there for one another,” he said, offering warmth and positive thoughts. Shelbi later learned that the homeless community had been talking about her efforts. “They saw me lose my van and still come back to help,” Shelbi says. “I’ve been trying to show them that they are loved and that we are here for them.”
Shelbi’s mission is far from over. “I want them to know they are not forgotten. As long as they try, we will be there to help,” she says. “We need to stop criminalizing their basic human rights and work together to come up with solutions to address this crisis.”
Shelbi’s resilience and compassion show the strength of the human spirit. She is proof that even in the face of adversity, kindness and determination can make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most.