CHARLESTON, W.Va. — In just more than two weeks, residents, community leaders and others in the Capital City will come together to learn more about the issues fueling homelessness in Charleston.
“Facts and Fiction: A Community Discussion of Homelessness in Charleston” is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Center.
“Knowing that this is an issue that impacts the whole community is really, really important,” said Becky Ceperley, a Charleston city council member and member of the volunteer homeless task force.
The task force has been meeting to coordinate efforts for almost two years now.
In that time, Ceperley said those involved have learned homelessness is a complicated issue.
“We all have a role to play, including just ordinary citizens,” she said. “That’s why we decided that we should have some sort of educational symposium for the community so we could all better understand it and help define the problem.”
Topics that will be covered at the symposium include “demystifying the homeless,” available homeless services in Charleston, how those services are coordinated, police actions, the effects of addiction on homelessness and the work of the task force.
The “Facts and Fiction” symposium on Feb. 27 is free and open to all. No pre-registration is required.
“What we want to do is make our city safe for everyone who calls this place home, whether you have a home or not,” said Ceperley.