Pamela Atkinson Homeless Trust Fund

Intermountain Catholic

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The Most Reverend John C. Wester, bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, tells the story of Johnny Carnation, a homeless man in San Francisco.

Catholic Community Services’ Salt Lake City office was the setting for the annual kick-off of the Pamela Atkinson Homeless Trust Fund (PAHTF). The Most Reverend John C. Wester, Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City and Utah Governor Jon Huntsman were on hand along with Atkinson and Brad Drake, executive director of Catholic Community Services (CCS).

"CCS is one of the most fabulous organizations that help the poor in this area," Atkinson, a community advocate said. "It’s where many of our homeless friends get help." Atkinson thanked Dr. Dominic Albo, a member of the CCS Board of Trustees, for helping to raise money for the renovations that turned the former Intermountain Health Care Bryner Clinic into the current CCS facility.

The PAHTF is a Hope for the Homeless program that encourages tax payers to donate to the fund by placing a check mark on line 27a of their state tax form, filling in the code requested, and writing in the amount they would like to donate. Atkinson said if every taxpayer donated $3 through their state tax forms, more than $1 million would be raised to help Utah’s homeless and most vulnerable population. The tax payers’ contributions to the PAHTF provides funding for the homeless service providers throughout the state with temporary shelter, meals, transitional housing, employment services, educational training, day care, home ownership training, and other programs for families in need of assistance.

"It is my pleasure to help kick off the Pamela Atkinson Homeless Trust Fund," said Drake. "Atkinson gives wonderful support and guidance. No one has more energy or does more for the homeless."

To illustrate that one person can make a significant difference, Drake told the story of 4th century Telemachus, who, with a full colosseum of people crying for blood, put himself between two fighting gladiators. He stopped the gladiators for a time, but was eventually killed. "From that day forward, people knew that one person can do something significant.

"Checking the box on your state tax return means meals, case management, shelter, and food," Drake said. We are grateful for the PAHTF for helping us resettle more than 500 refugees and provide treatment services for homeless men, services for women and children. But case management can’t do it alone. We need love, compassion, hope, and collaboration with other service organizations. With that collaboration, we can literally save lives.

Client Troy Loving said his life was heavily affected by cluster headaches. He’d lost his job and his home. "I ended up in the bus station, the overflow shelter, and the Road Home. It was a never ending situation. But I found Catholic Community Services. They lifted my spirits. CCS has been my biggest help.

Atkinson said her goal is to end chronic homelessness in the next 10 years. She said efforts by former Salt Lake City Mayor Palmer DePaulis and Gordon Walker will help the city achieve that goal.

Bishop Wester thanked those who support CCS, and welcomed everyone to the kick-off celebration. He told the story of stepping into a chapel to pray after a long day in San Francisco. He notice there a "homeless gentleman" known by most as Carnation Charlie. Not thinking, Bishop Wester, (who was a priest at the time) sent Charlie out of the chapel because he was disturbing his prayer.

"Since then I have learned that homeless people are everybody’s guest. They live in urgent situations. I think it’s significant to say that Charlie stepped into a church, a synagogue, or a mosque, because the people there would be present to him and help him.

"You and I have to be that presence to others. I can put a check mark in that box. I’m just one person and I can make that difference.

"I don’t know if Charlie is still alive; I doubt it. But I hope he found a home and people were present to him as he died."

Atkinson said the bishop’s story stands as a reminder that homeless people have names. She told they story of her friend Bobby Fritz, who died recently. "Bobby was looking for a better life. He was looking for someone who would take some interest in him, give him respect and self-esteem.

Governor Huntsman called Atkinson the "heart and soul’ of this community. He said he has two children who attend Catholic schools, where they have learned that unity is important.

"We all must be each others’ keepers," Huntsman said. "All suffering must be eradicated.

The governor spoke of his daughter, Gracie, 9, a native of China, who spends a lot of time on the internet. She recently showed her father that the higher the mountain a person climbs, fences and walls disappear. People become unified.

"I think her observation was a very insightful lesson about beautiful people, some of whom suffer difficulties and hardships, but they look at their neighbors’ needs and they try to give them a little boost.

"Now, as never before, we must lift ourselves up and life each other up," he said. "Pamela Atkinson is an expert at lifting others up. She is an expert in human behavior. She is one of those people we should all look up to."

Atkinson spoke of CCS’s Refugee Resettlement Program, a streamlined process that brings people from all over the world, most recently from Burma (Mayanmar) and gives them safe passage, safety, and happiness here in Salt Lake City. They continue to make their services even better. It’s a huge humanitarian effort, they eventually have homes of their own.

Atkinson also drew attention to Diocesan Vicar General Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, Dee Rowland, and Gordon Walker (director of community and culture) and Mrs. Walker, whose efforts have helped those in need.