Kyra Finner
Staff Writer
Idaho State University hosted the 24th Annual Homeless Stand Down at Reed’s Gym on Oct. 26, offering the homeless local population veteran and civilian resources, health care services, hot meals, hygiene kits, clothing, hair cuts, job assistance, prepaid phones and more.
According to the Bingham County Chronicle, Region 5 of Idaho, which includes Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida, and Power counties, is the second-highest region for homelessness in the state, just behind Boise. Of these counties, in 2018 Bingham county held 18% of those people.
According to Aaron Lewis, from the pharmacy stand, they were providing blood sugar testing, blood pressure testing, and checking cholesterol levels. “Nobody came in from 7 a.m.-8 a.m., but overall we helped 30-40 people today,” Lewis said.
The Dental Hygiene stand was offering a variety of tests as well, including free oral cancer screenings which looked into cavities, abscesses, and gum disease.
“Providing this service to people in need is good because this is a safe place for them to get the care they need,” Bailey Hilton from the Dental Hygiene stand said.
There was a variety of volunteers at the event helping by giving out supplies and serving food. Beckett Hunt and Alex Johnson were the two volunteers at the hygiene kit station.
“I volunteer because my dad and brothers have been doing it for many years through the Boy Scouts,” said Hunt. “This event means a lot because it’s one of the only days of the year that the homeless population can get what they need.”
Mark Powell and Kathleen Russell were volunteers from the Portneuf Valley Interfaith Group. They were handing out sleeping bags, hand-crocheted hats, booties, and scarves mostly provided by the women’s prison. According to Powell and Russell, the humanitarian group volunteers at many events throughout the year, including ‘The Feeding of The 5,000’, work at the local food shelter, Thanksgiving events, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace which is where people make beds for children who do not have one.
“We have been blessed,” Russell said. “So we have been called to bless others.”
