MASH Village helped by United Way

By JANIT STAHL

SPECIAL TO VIEW NEWSPAPERS

When Ron Collins broke his foot in four places last year, he had no idea his fall would have such a profound impact on his future. He couldn't work as a roofer, a job he had performed for more than 20 years, and he had no insurance to pay for the medical bills he accrued.

"You don't realize that snake's gonna bite you until you jump over the log," said Collins, a resident at Father Joe's MASH (Mobile Assistance and Shelter for the Homeless) Village about how he ended up homeless seven months ago. Originally from Georgia, Collins made his way to Las Vegas for year-round outdoor work. But his broken foot brought his future in Southern Nevada to a screeching halt.

"I made good money as a roofer but I didn't really save," says Collins. Faced with medical bills and the cost of his home, care of his 10-year-old daughter and other living expenses, Collins, ironically, found himself without a roof over his head.

"When they (clients of MASH Village) come to us, something disastrous has happened to them," said Wanda Bonillas, case management supervisor at MASH. "There usually is a logical reason for their situation."

MASH Village is a shelter that primarily functions as a transitional living facility. Rather than focusing on emergency shelter and temporary aid to the homeless, they are in the business of bringing about change.

"We work with them pretty closely. If they need a GED, counseling, or other help, we have the MASH Crisis Center," says Bonillas.

The Crisis Center, known for its "one-stop shopping" approach introduced by Father Joe of the St. Vincent DePaul organization in San Diego, Calif., offers a wide range of human services under one roof. All of the services are designed to help residents and walk-ins get what they need to apply for a job. For many, it means completing education, getting IDs and work cards and meeting with an employment counselor.

Also on the MASH Village compound is a medical facility that provides Las Vegas' homeless with their only free clinic. Staffed by volunteers from the University of Nevada School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Departments of Psychology and Counseling, University Medical Center and Lake Mead Hospital, the clinic offers basic care to the city's less fortunate at no cost.

Like many of the shelters funded by the United Way, MASH Village is full and currently turning away people. "There are approximately 8,000-10,000 homeless people in Southern Nevada -- no one knows the exact number -- and only about 2,200 beds," said Dean Collins, vice president of development at MASH Village. And MASH's philosophy of encouraging independence means that residents have up to two years to bring about that change. "We give them what they need to be self-sufficient and productive," adds Collins. That kind of commitment, which includes a four-month follow-up by case managers on graduates of the program, means that claimed beds do not open quickly, and more are needed.

MASH Village's niche in the homeless corridor on Main Street is families. No other shelter is able to accommodate entire families in the valley, a claim the residents and the employees of MASH do not take lightly. "They stay in one big room that can a hold up to six children," says Wanda Bonillas.

Daniel Kneppler, a resident of MASH for two months, is thankful for the chance to keep his son, Daniel, 15, with him during this time of transition, "We're pretty tight," says Kneppler. Kneppler, who came to the Las Vegas area from Colorado for the work, was cut short of his goal by a failing truck. "We had a bunch of breakdowns on the way down," he says. Kneppler, who had worked in residential remodeling for 20 years before moving to Las Vegas, rolled into town low on cash with no place to stay. "We slept in the truck for a week. My son had his first taste of hunger. I hope we don't have to do that again," the father concludes.

The staff at MASH Village has a tall order: feed, house and find jobs for residents, provide a safe and caring environment for the children, and see that whatever lack of skills or rehabilitations the residents need are addressed. Enter case management.

Wanda Bonillas, case management supervisor, says, "Everything we have available, we use for our residents." Their comprehensive program utilizes the Crisis Centers' services to individually tailor each resident's plan of action. The case management office, assisted by a number of UNLV social work student interns, manages the lives of the upward of 200 people living under their roof.

Allison Daniels, who is completing her master's degree in social work at UNLV, while working as an emergency case manager at MASH Village, sees how the department's work affects the clients. "I feel they are making changes. I've seen a lot of positive outcomes." she concludes.

Fellow volunteer Steve McCracken, who recently completed his bachelor's degree in social work at UNLV, shares Daniels' enthusiasm. "I wanted the most well-rounded placement experience, and that's what I've gotten," McCracken said of his internship at MASH. For the residents, he believes "You can get anything here, they house so many agencies. ... I can't imagine finding a more comprehensive facility."

And the results of the programs at MASH Village seem to be working. "If they follow the program, we have a 100 percent success rate," raves Dean Collins. Part of that program is a mandatory savings account (residents must save 30 percent of their paycheck for housing after they leave the facility), and another is regular case management sessions. Other services are offered, based on individual need.

For Ron Collins, the program has worked. The former roofer is back on the job, but in a new line of work. "They helped me get my CDL license. I am driving a truck now."

His experience is not unique. Kneppler will also start getting a paycheck soon, as a painter for a small company in the valley.

MASH Village will be taking over control of the former city of Las Vegas and Clark County-built and operated facility. MASH opened in 1995 when then-mayor Jan Jones saw the growing need to address the burgeoning homeless population.

For Dean Collins, vice president of development, going solo is good and bad. "Our parent company, St. Vincent DePaul, will run the facility. But we also have to start getting private dollars to keep the programs going," he explains. ... So MASH can follow the mission of the founder Father Joe, but it may have to do it on a shoestring budget.

The United Way will continue to be part of the funding base, but Dean Collins sees the corporate sector as a part of a future that includes MASH Village's expansion. "We need to build a kitchen, and we have plans to add a women's facility and expand our medical facility," he said.

For the dedicated case management staff, who see success stories like Kneppler and Ron Collins every day, it is a challenge and a joy to see the results of their work.

"It seems the people here really want to do good," said seven-month resident Ron Collins.

MASH Village includes three of 37 programs funded by the United Way that fall under the category of Ensuring Basic Needs (one of five Community Impact Areas established by the United Way). For information about volunteering at MASH Village, call Bill Rohlman at 388-0088. If you or your company are interested in donating funds to MASH Village, call Dean Collins at 388-0088, Ext. 242. For information about this and other United Way-funded programs, call 734-CARE.