Harry Pedigo, who serves as director of both St. Benedict’s and the Daniel Pitino Shelter, said that homelessness is on the rise in Owensboro — and both local organizations are aiming to help mitigate the numbers.
Speaking at a Rotary Club meeting Wednesday, Pedigo explained his background as a former homeless person before detailing how St. Benedict’s and the Pitino Shelter are trying to help provide a space for people to break chronic homelessness.
He said the shelters serve about 550 people a year. In addition to offering beds for a single night, he said both shelters offer transitional housing to help get people reacclimated to life.
Pedigo said the shelters aim to destigmatize and work through chronic homelessness by providing clients with a schedule and set of responsibilities. Clients are able to build a rental history, pay rent, learn how to ease into a routine and do other things to lessen the stress when they first are out of their situation.
“Getting them there is very, very difficult. They don’t all just jump for joy… but once you can overcome that hurdle and they buy into it, it works,” Pedigo said.
Pedigo said when goes on vacations, he always tries to stop in at a local shelter — every time. He introduces himself to the director and tries to learn from their organization and see what similar practices can be implemented in Owensboro.
One thing he noted is the disparity in revenue generation.
St. Benedict’s is funded almost 85% by community involvement and private and public donations. Daniel Pitino Shelter, on the other hand, is funded almost 85% by governmental funds.
Pedigo said a nonprofit organization can utilize commercial strategies to make revenue for the organization. Transitional homes mark a way for them to generate some revenue back, but it’s not enough according to Pedigo.
“[You look at] Louisville, they’ve got it figured out. They’ve got hotels, they got all these social enterprises that generate revenues to keep these shelters going down there. You don’t have that here,” Pedigo said.
Nonetheless, he said the shelters are working to continue partnerships in the community and grow their enterprising to be enough for their clients.
Pedigo added that if people are looking to give, be intentional with what they want to see the money go to.
“Make sure that they’re helping the local organizations,” he said. “Don’t just hand money out to the homeless and think that you’re helping the homeless because you’re not going to help them that way,”
At St. Benedict’s, they also have a bed sponsorship where people are able to sponsor an individual for an entire year. The sponsorship is $500 a year for one individual.
