The Russ Bus Battles Challenge of Homelessness in Rural AR
By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News
Updated: March 4, 2013
"Drive around, sometimes we're driving around and finding them," Fred Teague said of how the homeless effort in Russellville works.
That's because to help those who live out on the streets, you have to hit the road. Or at least that's the philosophy of the Russ Bus.
"We go to them, they don't have to come to us. And we help them with whatever they need," said fellow volunteer Ashley Francis.
The group is essentially a River Valley branch of "The One" founded by Aaron Reddin, a Russellville native. KARK 4 partnered with Reddin in a Help the Homeless drive this week. Many of those donations could go to help out the rural Russellville crew.
They're armed with one van, borrowed from local churches,, a single storage unit of supplies, and a whole lot of heart.
"We do not have a shelter," Francis explained. "We have a house for men with addictions and a battered women's shelter. That's it."
Russellville is Pope County's major city, surrounded by an overflow of rural fields for miles. Unlike urban areas, resources are spread out over miles, like tents in the woods, if they exist at all.
"If you aren't an addicted man or a battered woman there is not an option," Francis said.
"The option is living in a vehicle if you have one or living in a tent , like the ones we try to provide for those who need them," Teague said.
The Russ Bus fills the gap, arranging for showers at local travel centers and laundry services. They coordinate with churches to provide around 30 hot meals a week, and try to offer basic necesseties to homeless families who are currently living in hotels.
"If you don't have the means to prepare a hot meal, by HUD standards you are homeless," Francis said. "We have so many families that are living in hotels right now, and they may have a spare $20 a week. If we can help them out with food, toothpaste, laundry detergent, then we can help them keep that money in their pockets."
But the help can get expensive, with one shower and a load of laundry running the group $14. All of the help they can provide, depends on how much private donors are willing to give.
The group also offers money management help, connects the homeless and unemployed with jobs, so they can save money to rent an apartment -- often subsidized with help from the United Way or Help Network.
"Jerry actually lived in this tent," Teague said, after a walk deep into the woods near Interstate 40. "He was actually living here and holding down a job."
Jerry Seward is one of the group's most recent success stories. He went from living in his car, to a tent provided by the Russ Bus.
"I was able to have a heater in the tent," he said. "And it was so much warmer than sleeping in my car. But now, it's totally different. I have an apartment, food, and a good job."
Seward never planned on living life as a homeless person in the Russellville area, he like many the Russ Buss helps, saw life deal them several rough blows.
"It was an unexpected turn in life that left me here," he said. "I never thought I would be here, and it happened just like that. If you only have $20 spare dollars in your pocket, living day to day, it can happen to you like that."
"A lot of them have just fell on hard luck" Francis said. "Sure, we have those who choose it and prefer it as a way of life. But most of them don't -- and would do anything to get out of it."
The Russ Bus has made the rounds to help more than five dozen homeless, getting them connected with jobs, housing, and hope.
"If you don't know where your next dollar or food is going to come from you're panicking all the time," Seward said. "I don't have to live like that anymore. I'll never go back there."
But every day is a struggle, with slim funding, no real warehouse to store donations, and a need that continues to grow.
"Just recently, we had a married couple come to us. The young lady is pregnant, and they need help," Teague said. "That's just one example. Everyone has their own experience, everyone gets here in a different way. But we know that we can help get them out of it by building relationships with them and the community."
Despite the challenges, the Russ Bus will stay the course, because so many are just one rough week away from standing in Jerry's shoes.
"One life matters -- totally without a doubt. If we can make difference to that one person," Teague said.
Thanks to a generous donation, the Russ Bus has received a donation for its own van, instead of having to borrow from local churches. And the group's hoping to continue the momentum.
Members are holding a fundraising pancake breakfast at Stoby's in Russellville on Sunday, March 3rd, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The group's current needs include:
Blankets Batteries Shampoo Neosporin
Socks Baby Wipes Soap Ponchos
Toothbrushes Bug Spray Foot Powder Razors
Toothpaste Sunscreen Diapers Shaving Cream
Deodorant Itch Cream Bottled water Band aids
Flashlights Lotion Jugs of water Chapstick
Vitamins
You can find out more about the "Russ Bus" by following them on Facebook, or the website.
That's because to help those who live out on the streets, you have to hit the road. Or at least that's the philosophy of the Russ Bus.
"We go to them, they don't have to come to us. And we help them with whatever they need," said fellow volunteer Ashley Francis.
The group is essentially a River Valley branch of "The One" founded by Aaron Reddin, a Russellville native. KARK 4 partnered with Reddin in a Help the Homeless drive this week. Many of those donations could go to help out the rural Russellville crew.
They're armed with one van, borrowed from local churches,, a single storage unit of supplies, and a whole lot of heart.
"We do not have a shelter," Francis explained. "We have a house for men with addictions and a battered women's shelter. That's it."
Russellville is Pope County's major city, surrounded by an overflow of rural fields for miles. Unlike urban areas, resources are spread out over miles, like tents in the woods, if they exist at all.
"If you aren't an addicted man or a battered woman there is not an option," Francis said.
"The option is living in a vehicle if you have one or living in a tent , like the ones we try to provide for those who need them," Teague said.
The Russ Bus fills the gap, arranging for showers at local travel centers and laundry services. They coordinate with churches to provide around 30 hot meals a week, and try to offer basic necesseties to homeless families who are currently living in hotels.
"If you don't have the means to prepare a hot meal, by HUD standards you are homeless," Francis said. "We have so many families that are living in hotels right now, and they may have a spare $20 a week. If we can help them out with food, toothpaste, laundry detergent, then we can help them keep that money in their pockets."
But the help can get expensive, with one shower and a load of laundry running the group $14. All of the help they can provide, depends on how much private donors are willing to give.
The group also offers money management help, connects the homeless and unemployed with jobs, so they can save money to rent an apartment -- often subsidized with help from the United Way or Help Network.
"Jerry actually lived in this tent," Teague said, after a walk deep into the woods near Interstate 40. "He was actually living here and holding down a job."
Jerry Seward is one of the group's most recent success stories. He went from living in his car, to a tent provided by the Russ Bus.
"I was able to have a heater in the tent," he said. "And it was so much warmer than sleeping in my car. But now, it's totally different. I have an apartment, food, and a good job."
Seward never planned on living life as a homeless person in the Russellville area, he like many the Russ Buss helps, saw life deal them several rough blows.
"It was an unexpected turn in life that left me here," he said. "I never thought I would be here, and it happened just like that. If you only have $20 spare dollars in your pocket, living day to day, it can happen to you like that."
"A lot of them have just fell on hard luck" Francis said. "Sure, we have those who choose it and prefer it as a way of life. But most of them don't -- and would do anything to get out of it."
The Russ Bus has made the rounds to help more than five dozen homeless, getting them connected with jobs, housing, and hope.
"If you don't know where your next dollar or food is going to come from you're panicking all the time," Seward said. "I don't have to live like that anymore. I'll never go back there."
But every day is a struggle, with slim funding, no real warehouse to store donations, and a need that continues to grow.
"Just recently, we had a married couple come to us. The young lady is pregnant, and they need help," Teague said. "That's just one example. Everyone has their own experience, everyone gets here in a different way. But we know that we can help get them out of it by building relationships with them and the community."
Despite the challenges, the Russ Bus will stay the course, because so many are just one rough week away from standing in Jerry's shoes.
"One life matters -- totally without a doubt. If we can make difference to that one person," Teague said.
Thanks to a generous donation, the Russ Bus has received a donation for its own van, instead of having to borrow from local churches. And the group's hoping to continue the momentum.
Members are holding a fundraising pancake breakfast at Stoby's in Russellville on Sunday, March 3rd, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The group's current needs include:
Blankets Batteries Shampoo Neosporin
Socks Baby Wipes Soap Ponchos
Toothbrushes Bug Spray Foot Powder Razors
Toothpaste Sunscreen Diapers Shaving Cream
Deodorant Itch Cream Bottled water Band aids
Flashlights Lotion Jugs of water Chapstick
Vitamins
You can find out more about the "Russ Bus" by following them on Facebook, or the website.
