Haven of Hope on Wheels asks Oroville council for formal partnership, shows client testimony

Pastor Kevin Thompson and representatives of the nonprofit Haven of Hope on Wheels presented the program to the Oroville City Council and asked the city to consider a formal partnership or funding support.

The request was the focus of a long public comment period in which several volunteers, partner organizations and program clients described the mobile units’ work in Oroville and Butte County. “By providing fundamental resources and support, we are not only addressing immediate needs, but also contributing a long term solution to seeking a pathway out of homelessness,” Pastor Kevin Thompson said during the presentation.

Why it matters: Council members responded with broad praise and asked staff to explore options for grant funding and partnerships. Several council members said the program’s services — hygiene, laundry, and wraparound referrals — address public-health and dignity issues that can affect broader community health and service costs.

Haven of Hope on Wheels described the program and its local impact. A presenter identified as Courtney said the mobile service would operate three days a week in Oroville — Monday, Tuesday and Friday — from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The nonprofit said its current mobile fleet includes five 40-foot trailers equipped with showers, laundry and restroom facilities. Courtney said the program averages 25–30 showers and about 10 loads of laundry per day when operating and has provided other supports such as case-management referrals, food and hygiene supplies.

The presenters offered a timeline of program growth: launch in February 2018, expansion in 2019–2020, additional unit acquisitions in 2021–22, and emergency-response deployments in 2023–24. Courtney gave county-level and local counts the group uses in planning: “In Butte County, there are a total of 1,237 homeless individuals. And of that number, 214 individuals experiencing homelessness are in Oroville,” she said.

Several people who said they use or volunteer for the program addressed the council during public comment. Vanessa, introduced by the presenters as a former program client, said the services helped her secure employment and housing: “Without this program, I don't know where I would even be today,” she said, adding she had five and a half years clean and sober and was working as a manager.

Volunteers and partner groups also spoke. Angel Yang of United Way of Northern California said the organization supports the service and that the mobile units help meet participants “where they are” and reduce transportation barriers. Frank Martinez, president and CEO of Butte County United, described working with Haven of Hope during regional disasters and said mobile hygiene reduced a barrier to accessing other relief services.

Council response and next steps: Council members praised the presenters and asked staff to research funding and partnership options. Councilman Weber suggested the council look at state and federal grants and at the lobbyists the city recently retained; Vice Mayor Smith and others urged collaboration among local nonprofits, the Hope Center and county agencies. Council members did not approve city funding at the meeting; multiple members said they wanted staff to return with options, including grant-writing or partnership models.

What the presenters asked for: a formal partnership with the city and assistance finding sustainable funding sources so the program can expand service locations and schedule. The presenters also requested help coordinating wraparound services with local agencies.

Ending: City staff and council members said they would examine funding options and possible partnership structures and return with more information; no ordinance or contract was authorized at the meeting.