The event will be held from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. in the College of the Redwoods Theater located on CR’s main campus, 7351 Tompkins Hill Road.
Three hundred community leaders, as well as students, faculty and staff from the two collegiate institutions have been invited to come together and explore opportunities to more effectively support, develop and implement shared solutions around homelessness in Del Norte and Humboldt counties.
College of the Redwoods President, Keith Snow-Flamer, said “We felt as an institution that we owed it to our students who are homeless and food insecure to provide a community forum for all the respective parties to gather and discuss how we can collectively reinvigorate our efforts around this issue. Much is being done, but much more is needed. When we have students sleeping in their cars, carrying their beds on their backs because they are sleeping in the forest, or going without food, more action just needs to be taken.”
Summit attendees will discuss the scope of the homeless situation and the local initiatives underway; examine the root causes and contributing factors of homelessness for various populations; look at the importance of building resilience and community focus to combat homelessness; and work on expanding community empathy and awareness about the homeless daily life experience.
College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University are exploring the idea of holding a second summit around homelessness issues in Fall 2018.