By Redaccion
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A weekly Neighborhood Navigation Center (NNC) is now open in the City of Goleta following a ribbon cutting held on November 20, at Christ Lutheran Church (6595 Covington Way).
“The NNC, overseen by SBACT, is a place where people without homes can go on Mondays between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for a variety of services and It’s now one of four NCCs located in Santa Barbara County,” said the City in a press release.
The ribbon cutting was an emotional event for the City’s Mayor, Paula Perotte, because it is something that the City Council have wanted for a long time, to have a place where people can come get services, get document ready, get a meal, connect with service providers and gain their trust.
“It’s a big deal to me and I am forever grateful to everyone who was a part of making this happen,” said Mayor Perotte.
The services include checking in with outreach teams from City Net and Good Samaritan Shelters, a free lunch provided by local volunteers, finding clothing, getting health needs treated by Doctors Without Walls, and meeting with the Santa Barbara Response Network to receive mental health first aid.
Other services like showers and Coordinated Entry access to housing are planned for the near future.
Meanwhile, Santa Barbara County 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann expressed to be so proud that the City of Goleta is stepping up and doing its share to humanely address homelessness.
“When people become homeless they become disconnected and those connections have to be rewoven carefully, and that is what the service providers accomplish at this site. The missing link SBACT fills is working with communities to better understand what causes homelessness, how it is being addressed, and coordinating outreach efforts that serve people with dignity,” Supervisor
Chuck Flacks, Homelessness Services Coordinator for the City of Goleta states it takes a community effort to make things work.
“We will bring together as many programs as we can to make homelessness rare, brief, and a one-time experience. Goleta is fortunate to have 160 new homes for homeless people in the pipeline, and many agencies willing and able to provide services. This new center will help lead people home,» said Flacks.
Acknowledging that transportation to this site might be a challenge, Landon Ranck, Operations Manager for SBACT, expressed they expect it to take several weeks for people to find this site.
“But by providing food, caring support, and a range of services in Goleta, people who would otherwise have to go to Santa Barbara to meet their needs now have somewhere close to go to in their hometown.»
For more information, or to volunteer or donate items, please contact Eric Meyer, Program Coordinator at, 805-259-4692 x103.
