Malibu homeless people get a step up as they attempt to get back into society with the help of a dedicated Malibu couple.
By Sylvie Belmond/Special to The Malibu Times
The names of certain people have been changed to protect their identity.
As she spoke about her endeavors to help the less fortunate while sitting at a Starbucks coffee shop, Hollie Packman’s cell phone rang several times. The callers were Malibu homeless people, seeking advice and assistance as they try to re-enter the realms of society.
These calls frequently interrupt Packman’s day, but she does not consider them interruptions. In Packman’s eyes, the soft chirp of her cellular phone represents an answer to God’s calling in her life.
Two years ago, Packman and her husband, Daniel, who grew up in Malibu, started an outreach program called S.O.S. Ministries after they initially began to be involved with the homeless, taking part in Thanksgiving Dinner events for the poor.
Soon, these efforts to help others progressed to a more active role because the Packmans were touched by the testimony of a homeless person they met.
Although he was a premed student, ‘Frank’ became homeless when his parents died early on and money ran out. He was left without a home and eventually without a car as well, leaving him unable to get a job and continue his studies.
His story made the Packmans realize many of their assumptions about the homeless were wrong, and soon after, they started S.O.S. Ministries to provide outreach, advocacy and emergency shelter for Malibu’s homeless and people in transition.
“Part of our outreach is to create willingness to be a productive citizen,” Hollie said.
The Packmans started out by joining the Malibu homeless community where they regularly gather at a local coffee shop. They introduced themselves as if they were new to the community and reached out to discover who the people really were.
As they attended these gatherings on theweekly basis, the Packmans acknowledged the individuals they met and made an effort to remember the names of each person, where they came from and their story.
“It’s love and acceptance with physical contact and acknowledgement,” Daniel said. “But we are not going down there to try to ‘fix’ [them] initially.”
These efforts to reach out and eventually help required perseverance, as most of the people they met were distrustful at first. But the Packmans kept at it and, after a while, their resolve attracted the curiosity of others in need.
Cathy Carter and her boyfriend, Dan, were among the homeless the Packmans first met. Although Carter grew up in the Midwest, attended college for four years, and worked for a magazine in Chicago for a while, she and Dan quickly lost their way when they began to travel around the country to expand their horizon.
They started out by hitchhiking from one place to the next and slowly the money they had saved for the trip ran out. They became trapped into the outskirts of society, losing touch with their family.
“Alcohol complicated the situation,” said Carter, as she explained there is sort of an Underground Railroad for people who wander around in that type of situation.
For the next nine years, the couple went on from state to state, hoping to get a fresh start but always falling back into alcoholism’s vicious grasp.
When they arrived in Malibu about two years ago, Carter and Dan first slept in a tent on the beach. Malibu offered some hope because the couple was quickly introduced to the Labor Exchange and both found some work, which provided enough funds to set up camp at an official campsite. However, alcoholism was still a problem that kept the couple from moving forward.
When they met the Packmans, Carter and Dan were also apprehensive at first, but saw that the couple had a genuine curiosity for the homeless they spent time with. It took about a year for Carter and Dan to trust the Packman’s efforts, who wanted to help the couple rise out of their predicament.
“These guys just made us feel good, unlike at times when people stare you and make you want to crawl away,” said Carter.
So Carter and Dan decided to go up to the church where the Packmans had moved their weekly gathering after spending time with the homeless on their turf.
“We were ready for the help,” Carter said.
At that point, the Packmans suggested they take a recovery program offered by the church. Also, while they were on the road to recovery, the couple received some practical help, such as clothing, food and job consultation.
Carter, who is still emotional about the depth of this outreach, was truly touched by the Packmans’ efforts because they brought back the dreams she had for herself as a young woman. This prompted her to move forward and she began to get more help.
Hollie counseled her, providing Carter with the tools necessary to get along in the working environment. This type of counseling is not new to Hollie, since she owns a consulting firm that specializes in communication strategies for the workplace. She also worked for the Red Cross as an education director.
Today, Carter and Dan have been walking a new path for about a year. They currently work at the ArtifacTree, a thrift shop in Malibu founded by Honey Coatsworth. They also found a place to live in Malibu.
“As soon as they were faithful with the little things, God started to bless them with bigger things,” said Daniel, with a gleam in his eyes.
Now, S.O.S. has weekly prayer and dinner meetings at the Malibu Vineyard Church on Tuesday nights, and all Malibu homeless are welcome. It provides a safe place where they can reach out when they are ready to get help. But even those who are not quite ready are still welcome.
Mona Loo, a Malibu resident who has also been involved with the homeless and with the Labor Exchange, is impressed by the Packmans’ genuine efforts.
“It’s wonderful that Hollie and Daniel have the spirit and energy to help,” she said. “And they come without judging.”
The Packmans are not working alone, S.O.S. Ministries also benefits from the leadership of Jaime Hanner and Jeremy Jenny, Vineyard Church members. Moreover, many Malibuites are involved in helping the less fortunate. Between the ArtifacTree, the Labor Exchange and S.O.S. Ministries, the homeless who are ready to step back into society have the help of a multi-layered safety net to carry them along.
“Hollie and Daniel Packman just bridge the gap between those who want to help and those who need to be helped,” Carter said. “Now, because of what these guys do, none of us are lost.”
Those who wish to help S.O.S. Ministries can contact Hollie Packman at 818.880.6372 for additional information.