Group works to help Fallbrook's homeless

A middle-aged homeless woman who states she hasn't had a shower in 15 days walks up to Blaine Vice and asks if she could wash her feet at the foot washing station that is set up in the parking lot of Fallbrook Apostolic Assembly. She then asks if there are any sandals.

"Go over there and get some socks and shoes and then come back," said Vice, pointing to an area where clothing and footwear are available. "That way you'll have some clean socks for your clean feet."

Vice is a member of Fallbrook Homeless Advocacy, a group that conducts a homeless outreach event in the Fallbrook Apostolic Assembly parking lot (135 East Vine Street) the third Friday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon.

The outreach events provide homeless individuals with the opportunity to get a warm meal, clean up (there is a hair wash and haircut station as well as the foot washing station), pick up some clothing and/or footwear, get some soap and other hygiene products, and even a little counseling. Officials with the McAlister Institute, which offers programs for the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction, are available for consultation.

Fallbrook Homeless Advocacy presented its third outreach event Nov. 16 and Vice said more than 20 homeless people stopped by. The next outreach will be held Dec. 21.

"This is our biggest turnout...at least a dozen new faces," said Vice of the Nov. 16 gathering. "We're committed to doing this for a year."

Members of four area churches – Riverview, Christ the King, SonRise Christian Fellowship and Calvary Chapel – are involved in Fallbrook Homeless Advocacy.

"This is the Friendly Village, right?" said Vice. "We just want to be the friendly people for those that are less fortunate. As our pastor calls them – the marginalized. We just want the marginalized people to know there are people in this town that care."

Vice knows that not everyone in town is a fan of the work of Fallbrook Homeless Advocacy. Some people fear that the more a town helps the homeless, the more homeless the town will attract.

"I get it, I understand it," said Vice. "But we're just trying to help people. We don't want to promote something to bring homeless from Oceanside here. I don't want to do that. But I want to take care of those that are here. Let's show them that somebody cares. It's just that simple.

"Someone I know that has a lot of power in this community – when I told her about this event – she said, 'you're enabling them,'" continued Vice. "I said, 'No, we're not.' We're not enabling them. We're washing their feet, we're washing their hair and giving them a haircut and giving them some clothing for the cold weather coming up. What's wrong with that?"

Fallbrook Homeless Advocacy is currently working to raise funds for what it's calling a "dignity trailer."

"It's a trailer with showers and washers and dryers," said Vice. "So people can come get a shower, wash their clothes and hopefully get a job. If you stink from not having a shower for three weeks, you're not going to be able to find employment. If you can clean up, you might actually be able to."

Those interested in joining Fallbrook Homeless Advocacy or simply helping out the group can contact one of the two leaders of the organization – Brad Fox (760) 419-2453 or Vice (760) 728-0354.