Homeless veteran awareness “street sleep” a success, organizer says

Local homeless veteran support organization Operation No Vet Left Outside spent Saturday night on the corner of 24th Street and 4th Avenue in order to raise awareness for the issue of homeless vets.

According to Operation President Jason Campbell, the effort was a success, and several Yumans asked about the cause and even helped out.

Campbell said a group of about four people camped out in front of the Pacific Pride fueling station at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and left at approximately at 7:15 a.m.

“The sprinklers came on, so we had to clear out,” Campbell said laughing.

Campbell said the success of the “street sleep” was evident even before the group was completely set up for the night.

“Before we even got totally set up in the grass, a vehicle pulled in and literally filled the back of my pickup truck full of clothes, shoes, jackets, all kinds of stuff for the homeless vets,” Campbell said.

Campbell said that 90 percent of the clothes donated still had the tags on them and he was amazed at the care that the community showed through its donations.

“These people went out and bought these clothes just to give to the cause,” Campbell said.

“I guarantee you there is over a thousand bucks worth of clothes and shoes.”

Campbell said the operation will do another “street sleep” a month or two down the road, but they have placed their focus on distributing the donated clothing to local homeless vets.

“We want to take the stuff out to them rather than make them come to us,” Campbell said.

For more information on Operation No Vet Left Outside, or to make a donation to the nonprofit, contact Campbell at (928) 247-4500.