WAGAP's New Outreach Coordinator Credits Dog With Breaking His Cycle of Houselessness
Chris Cline, a newly hired WAGAP department coordinator and a formerly houseless individual in Skamania County, enjoying a moment with his dog Tank. Cline has a big heart for animals and his community.
A recent grant award of $10,000 from the Community Foundation of Southwest Washington to Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) has been matched by the Skamania County Homeless Housing Council.
Effectively doubling their funding to aid the continuation of the group’s mission to prevent and eliminate chronic houselessness throughout the county.
The new funding has allowed WAGAP to work toward two of the Skamania County Homeless Council’s goals outlined in its five-year plan:
Building new shower facilities and hiring an outreach coordinator with lived houseless experience that could help identify and engage people experiencing houselessness.
Meet WAGAP’s New Outreach Coordinator - Chris Cline
Meet Chris Cline, WAGAP’s new department coordinator.
Chris Cline has been hired as the new department coordinator for homeless outreach in Skamania County.
Cline took on this new role following his work last winter with the new Warming Shelter. He explained that his years of experience growing up in domestic violence and homeless shelters give him the perspective to be successful in his new role.
“I’ve been there and I get it,” Cline said. “It makes me relatable when working with our clients.”
He told the story of how his dog and the help of some kind strangers helped him end the cycle of houselessness.
“The last time I was homeless I’d been living in my tent in the back of someone’s property. They found me and told me to get off the property. I took my dog to the next property and tied her up and went back to get my stuff,” said Cline.
But when he got back to the property, she was gone.
Cline was devastated. He explained how important his dog was to him.
She had kept him grounded and helped him fight off loneliness, and now she was in the wind.
“My dog was my world!” he said.
Chris Cline shares a sweet moment with his dog current dog Tank.
But then he was then confronted by the person who had ‘rescued’ his dog.
They were upset and wanted to know why he had abandoned her.
He asked them to calm down and listen to his story.
Thankfully they listened.
Chris Cline poses with Tank on their walk. Chris credits another dog, Sheeba, who has since passed away, with being the catalyst for how he escaped homelessness.
Once he had shared his history, his current situation, and his love for his dog, they offered assistance.
This unexpected interaction helped him to break the cycle of homelessness.
“They took me in for two months,” Cline said.
They helped him get back on his feet and offered him a place to sleep, to shower, and provided a way for him to search for a job.
He found work and has been doing well since.
Cline said their act of kindness keeps him motivated to help others.
“If a complete stranger hadn’t opened their door, I would still be there,” he said.
New Shower Facilities Pay it Forward
Cline said that the new funding which allowed WAGAP to hire him will also allow WAGAP to achieve it’s second goal of setting up a new shower facility to improve services for houseless residents to prepare for employment, providing more opportunities for self-sufficiency.
He said he hopes they can open the facility soon to give others an opportunity to access personal grooming so they can put their best foot forward for employers.
“The site that functioned this winter as the warming shelter is the County’s best choice for a shower facility. The building will have a chance to be utilized and have some regular activity in it, keeping it a little fresher and up to date, and it will serve a purpose to help these families,” said Bob Hamlin, Skamania County Commissioner.
The County’s Homeless Housing Fund supports multiple projects such as the emergency shelter and the warming shelter.
Skamania County Commissioner Bob Hamlin said they need to be thoughtful about where they direct the remaining funds, but that hiring additional outreach and keeping a facility open year-round were a good fit for the counties needs and the funding available.
“Money is limited and the reality is you can burn through that fairly quickly,” he said.
The Housing Council Still Has Two Vacancies
The Homeless Housing Council is made up of up to 15 members, from a variety of organizations and backgrounds, who are appointed for two-year terms by the Board of Commissioners. Debi VanCamp, Council President said currently there are several vacant positions.
VanCamp said she hopes to add two more people who have some lived experience with homelessness, and a local realtor who understands housing markets and development in the Gorge.
Skamania County Commissioner Hamlin agreed. ”We need more people at the table,” he said.
For anyone interested in being on the Skamania County Homeless Housing Council, or volunteering with local homeless programs, contact Washington Gorge Action programs by email info@wagap.org or call the Stevenson office at 509-427-8229.
Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Community Action Agency that helps individuals, families, and communities. WAGAP addresses basic human needs, including food, shelter, energy assistance, and more, in Skamania and Klickitat Counties. For more than 50 years, WAGAP has helped people help themselves and reach self-sufficiency. Learn more at wagap.org, or contact WAGAP at (509) 493-2662 or info@wagap.org.
