Wilmington’s unhoused community at Christina Park received a second set of new tents from the city Wednesday.
The first set distributed last week left residents drenched after a rainstorm proved they were not waterproof. The city partners with Friendship House to manage the park, and the organization’s staff provided the city with a list of approved tents that would adequately shelter residents from the elements.
But the city did not buy tents off of that list, leading to many residents getting wet during a rainstorm the same day new tents were installed.
Friendship House CEO Kim Eppehimer said she doesn’t want to throw the city under the bus, but it’s time for the Christina Park team to own up to the mistake.
“I think the city realized that they bought tents that they didn't lay eyes on first… “ Eppehimer said. “You know, this is new for folks, and I think they realize that mistakes are going to happen; however, we can't just accept that either, because these are people's lives that we're working with.”
The city wants to implement a sense of uniformity by building pallets and providing identical tents to the park’s residents.
Eppehimer said her organization is taking direction from the city but wants to make sure things are done in an effective manner.
“I think it is disappointing that the original tents purchased were inadequate,” Eppehimer said. “And the most important thing for us is that people feel that they are able to be heard and be in a place that they feel connected to community, and that we can help provide them resources. And that is the most important thing to us.”
Eppehimer added Friendship House’s main goal is to get residents the resources they want and need to get into a better, more sustainable situation.
For now, Eppehimer said residents will need to keep all of their belongings except chairs and bikes inside of their tents. She wants to expand daytime services, add showers and provide storage – but that will take time and resources.
“There's not a whole lot that needs to be quote ‘set up,’” Eppehimer said. “We're definitely going to work with folks to make sure they have what they need to protect themselves against the rain.”
Friendship House will also help facilitate resources, donations and volunteering shifts in the coming months.
Mobile hygiene stations are already in the works and set to be installed this month. The stations are a collaborative effort between the city, Friendship House and nonprofit 1 in 7B Foundation. In an earlier interview, Eppehimer said similar hygiene stations are usually kept running between April and November.
