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Street Outreach Program Marks 35 Years
Mike O'Neill, Outreach Clinician
In February 1986, Pine Street Inn established the street outreach program, which has run every day and night since. In the past year, the outreach program placed 150 individuals directly from the streets into housing.
Mike O'Neill has been a member of the daytime outreach team since 2018, connecting with men and women who choose to stay outside. Since December alone, he has helped 12 people into homes.
“Some people have lost their faith or had bad experiences and it can be hard at first to develop rapport and trust. But we continue to follow up, and we don't give up.
People sometimes think that we're just giving out socks and food, but there is so much more to it. We are supporting individuals, getting them connected to medical care, vital documents, getting people reunited with family or friends, working towards housing - and giving them hope.
Recently, I was working with a woman who’s been through so much trauma and loss. We worked together for over six months, and I helped her move into housing in December. She told me afterwards, 'You kept coming out and you kept saying that this could happen and I didn't believe you at first and now I am here. I got my keys and I can rebuild my life.'"
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