Kyle Vass is the new Minister of Soundwaves for WestVirginiaVille. We introduce you to his skill in reporting stories that need telling with this audio piece. It portrays community infighting over a homeless camp in St. Albans, West Virginia. It’s a struggle that raises many questions about a community’s responsibility and response to some of the most needy in our midst.
By KYLE VASS
Homelessness is something most people see on a regular basis in West Virginia. But what about homelessness we don’t see? We generally assume that anyone who is homeless who we don’t see is tucked away in some small, but cozy cot in a shelter.
But in St. Albans, WV, as in many communities around America, there are people living outside. No street corners, no shelters. Their home, such as it is, is inside tents and tarps—in this case on a flood plain beside the Coal River on the edges of the Kanawha County city. I don’t say ‘camping‘ as that sounds temporary. Some of these folks have lived there for more than five years. This is the story of that homeless camp, a pastor dedicated to helping it survive, and a community’s mixed feelings about its existence.
RELATED: Kyle Vass joins WestVirginiaVille Office of Soundwaves
I first reported this story for West Virginia Public Broadcasting in October 2019. I did more work on it as my first contribution in March 2020 to “Us and Them,” Trey Kay’s award-winning podcast, a co-production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting and PRX. The first time I met Trey was in the parking lot of a KFC. We briefly greeted one another, piled into a baby-blue diesel pickup truck and were driven into the woods by a man neither of us knew too well. Making radio is weird.
To this day, this story one of the most labor intensive projects I’ve undertaken. That is only because homelessness is an incredibly delicate topic. It needed a lot time to be handled with care. So, please take a moment to learn about a tent city in West Virginia.
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2 Comments
Geneva
I have meet a big majority of people at tent city. I pray to God that these people that are complaining over the people who have no homes pray hard that God forgives them. Nobody grows up and wants to be homeless. Yes there is situations out of control.. but they have no where else to go. Shame on the people who are trying to stop this. A man of God trying to help those who God set in front of him.. thanks to this church that they can have a place to go and they feed and give them food and clothing. Wood to burn when it’s very cold outside. Try this put a smile a word of encouragement to just one of them like this pastor and his church has done. Just something small. But know you would rather judge.. let’s leave the judging to God.. if it’s so bad donate a tiny house to someone to put there. Or do you have that much pride in your heart . Lol God does not like pride. Self. Or to be look up on others. SHAME ON ALL WHO ARE A PART ..OF THIS. .. BE HUMBLE BE KIND. HELP THOSE WHO NEED TO BE HELPED.. GOD PLEASE FORGIVE THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE SO JUDGEMENTAL. GOD IS LOVE… THINK ABOUT WHERE JESUS WALKED…
Tiffany R Barrs
Is this still a camp? God has led me to help the tent cities but I am having a hard time finding them!