At a presentation at Mount Carmel Bluffs, NAACP Housing Committee Chairman Nino Erbe (l.) and Jackie Cramer, BVM spoke about the crisis of homelessness in Dubuque, Iowa, and solutions to provide unhoused individuals with permanent supportive housing. BVM Associate Coordinator Suzie Coulthard (second from r.) and Lori Ollendick co-produced the documentary short “Ghost People,” which was shown at the event.
Homelessness is not always visible, and it can affect people from every walk of life.
That was the central message of a presentation by Jackie Cramer, BVM and Nino Erba, chair of the housing committee for the Dubuque, Iowa, chapter of the NAACP. They invited BVMs, associates, and others to look beyond the assumptions often associated with the unhoused and work together to address homelessness in the community.
Looking Beyond Assumptions
The presentation at Mount Carmel Bluffs featured “Ghost People,” a documentary short about homelessness in Dubuque produced by Associate Coordinator Susie Coulthard, with Lori Ollendick as assistant producer. Through personal stories and dramatizations, the film illustrated how unexpected circumstances like job loss, illness, family crises, and unaffordable housing can leave people without a place to call home.
In her introduction to the film, Jackie noted that it was a local effort.
“It’s a real at home project,” she says. “The documentary challenges viewers to recognize that homelessness is not always obvious. People without stable housing may be neighbors, parents, co-workers, and friends.”
“Homelessness is much more complex than people realize,” adds Nino.
Although Dubuque has several shelters and service organizations, not everyone can access the space or remain in certain programs. Barriers can include limited space, substance use, mental health challenges, criminal records, or other program requirements that must be met.
Housing as a Path to Stability
During the presentation Elena Dominguez, development and marketing director at Opening Doors, reported that the Teresa Shelter, a program providing emergency and extended-stay services to women, had to turn away 110 individuals last winter because of limited space.
Nino outlined the NAACP Housing Committee’s short- and long-term goals, including providing essential items such as toiletries, clothing, and food; addressing barriers such as anti-homeless architecture; and advocating for more permanent supportive housing.
Permanent supportive housing provides people experiencing homelessness with an affordable, stable place to live, along with access to services and resources that help them address personal challenges and rebuild their lives.
“Just plainly we need more housing,” he says. “Particularly this kind.”
In June, Nino and Jackie visited Shelter House in Iowa City, Iowa, to learn about its approach to serving people experiencing homelessness. They saw how permanent supportive housing, along with policies that keep rent affordable, can help people establish stability and rebuild their lives.
“We can definitely learn from that success,” Jackie says.
Working Together Toward Solutions
The presentation also invited attendees to become part of the solution by volunteering, donating essential supplies, supporting local service organizations, and advocating with city officials for effective housing solutions.
Jackie and Nino encouraged attendees to carry the message into their own communities.
“The ultimate end goal is to end homelessness in Dubuque,” Nino says. “But we can’t do it without help.”
For the BVM Community, this call to recognize our neighbors and respond with compassion reflects our commitment to charity and justice. It also calls us to listen, challenge assumptions, and work together toward lasting solutions.
Watch “Ghost People” here.
Learn more about permanent supportive housing and the Shelter House project in Iowa City, Iowa, here.
The post Seeing the Unhoused: A Call to Compassion and Action appeared first on Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.