Judy Thorslund knows firsthand the importance of “empowerment through community.”

President of the board of directors for the non-profit South Whidbey Homeless Coalition, Thorslund has spent decades working to help those without permanent housing and is no stranger to nights spent out in the cold — she was once homeless herself.

With Whidbey Island’s homeless now estimated to number in the hundreds, it’s an issue Coalition members like her say is crying out for public attention. Some needs to be done, and the group is ready to lead the way.

By the numbers

According to Good Cheer Food Bank & Thrift Stores, there are an estimated 400 people on Whidbey Island who are without permanent housing, including those who are couch surfing or living temporarily with other families while in search of permanent housing. According to the South Whidbey School District, approximately 80 or more are children.

That compares to about 44 people in San Juan County, about 9,294 in King County and 18,839 statewide.

Island County, like many others, conducts an official annual count of homeless people each January — 119 this year. Individuals must consent to being counted, however, which means that the numbers gleaned from the annual count are comparatively low to the actual numbers, said Catherine Reid, Island County’s housing program coordinator. Veterans and those suffering from mental illness are somewhat more likely decline being counted, she added.

“Veterans are pretty proud people, rightfully so, so they tend to stay away from our count,” said Reid.

Reid noted that organizations such as food banks and shelters are able to offer a more accurate count of those without permanent shelter.

Fighting the cold

With winter soon approaching, Thorslund and fellow South Whidbey Homeless Coalition members are determined to implement a temporary “hypothermia shelter” by December, which will be open to those in need during nights where the temperature reaches below freezing. At a coalition meeting Monday, board members confirmed the shelter will be located at Langley Methodist Church and has been approved by city officials.

According to Reid, a hypothermia shelter is Island County’s “greatest need” in assisting and protecting those without a home.

Presently, the only shelter, temporary or otherwise, for the homeless on South Whidbey is a one-room apartment which is let out by a local church. In Oak Harbor, Marjie’s House, a transitional home for women and children, is often full. Although there are also shelters located in nearby towns such as Marysville, Everett and Mount Vernon, these are also often devoid of vacancies, especially during the winter.

Residents of South Whidbey who are in need of housing are also often unwilling to leave the island they call home, said Thorslund.

The Coalition has an even bigger project in the works and is attempting to secure a $200,000 farmhouse in Freeland which would provide a number of homeless people with their own private rooms and standard household amenities. The home will be known as a house of hospitality.

Coyla Shepard, a Coalition board member, said at a meeting Monday that $33,000 was secured in pledged donations towards the purchase of the home, but in order to seal the deal, the coalition will need to come up with at least one quarter of the total as quickly as possible.

Places to go

According to Thorslund, the “basic rent” for a South Whidbey unit is approximately $925 whereas the rent elsewhere in the county averages at about $850. For those struggling to make ends meet, the price can simply prove too much to bear.

“We’ve got it going on down here,” Thorslund said of South Whidbey. “We have such beauty and such amazing, creative people. Those are the people we are looking for [to help], the people that have a heart to help their neighbors.”

She noted that there are several organizations that help homeless individuals with needs such as electric bills, food and clothing on the South end. Thorslund herself also volunteers with Good Cheer and assists with monthly meals at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland, where those in need are provided with food, blankets and hygiene bags. Thorslund said the issue that remains unresolved is that of shelter.

The South Whidbey Homeless Coalition will hold its first major fundraiser, More than a Song: an Evening of Music and Song to Benefit the Homeless, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 at the home of Michael Moch at 25182 State Route 525, across from the Greenbank Store.

The event will feature music, hor d’oeuvres, beer and wine. The suggested donation for entry is $20, while the suggested donation for wine and beer is $5. Funds will go towards the House of Hospitality and winter shelter.

More information about the fundraiser and the South Whidbey Homeless Coalition may be obtained by emailing swhomelesscoalition@gmail.com.