By Mike Kinney
One hundred tents were distributed to people suffering from homelessness in Richmond and San Pablo on Saturday thanks to a Stockton woman’s “100 Tent Challenge.”
Keisha Johnson and fellow volunteers visited homeless encampments to pass out new tents, backpacks, socks, meals and hygienic products as part of an effort that began in Johnson’s hometown of Stockton and has spread to other Bay Area cities and beyond.
Several weeks ago, when Stockton was battered by strong winds and rain, Johnson became concerned about her city’s homeless population and felt something needed to be done.
“I decided to put in $100 toward purchasing new tents for the local homeless population,” she said.
By Mike Kinney
Martin Luther King Jr. Day wasn’t just a day of service in Richmond on Monday, but also one of hope. That hope came in the form of 100 sleeping bags, along with tents, coats and other resources, being distributed at various locations where people experiencing homelessness reside in the city, including an encampment on Caltrans property that was recently dismantled for health and safety reasons.
Big City Mountaineers and NEMO donated 200 sleeping bags to Groundwork Richmond, half of which were distributed Monday. Safe Organized Spaces Richmond (S0S!), Contra Costa County’s CORE Mobile Homeless Outreach (Coordinated Outreach Referral, Engagement) team and Ephesians Church-God in Christ also pooled their resources for Monday’s distribution.