Diakonia’s Rapid Response and Outreach teams help the homeless with ‘Hope in Action’ initiative

WEST OCEAN CITY, Md. — Local nonprofit Diakonia is seeking volunteers and financial support for its “Hope in Action” campaign.

“We’ve got a whole new set of outreach items, and our volunteer this week stuffed these backpacks. These are what we’re giving out this week: a pillow, a blanket, a resource guide and hygiene products,” said Stephanie VanGasbeck, supervisor of the Rapid Response Team.

As temperatures on the Lower Shore reach all-time highs, Diakonia is working to address the hidden crisis facing the homeless population.

VanGasbeck said the Rapid Response Team and Mobile Outreach teams provide daily support for unhoused individuals.

“They pack up our car and drive around to see all the homeless individuals. Any homeless individual they see, they will stop and have a conversation to try to get them connected,” she said.

Peer specialist Chazz Smith assists in outreach by starting conversations with a simple offer.

“When it’s hot, for example, I go up to people and offer them a bottle of water,” Smith said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re homeless or not — just take a bottle of water. That opens the conversation, and if they happen to be homeless, we continue the conversation.”

VanGasbeck emphasized that the outreach effort extends beyond summer.

“We do this 24/7, all year long, through all the different seasons,” she said. “We go out in the rain, we go out in the snow, and we bring everything to them.”

Officials are encouraging community members to help by donating water, sunscreen or financial contributions.

Donations can be made online at diakoniaoc.org or via Venmo @DiakoniaOC.