Operation Red Eye fights homelessness in Pasco after sunset

Dim light concealed a shadowy figure late on a crisp Friday night as he staggered in a Pasco alley in a section of downtown known to feature seedy characters, drug use and occasional violence.

As the man emerged from the shadows, pastor Jesse Campos and a group of volunteers sprang into action.

“You want something to eat? What’s your name, brother?” Campos called out. “Come on bro, we got something for you.”

The man was greeted with handshakes and hugs. He was a familiar face, someone who sometimes sleeps behind Fiesta Foods.

Laid out on tables — under a covered area on Fourth Avenue where the Farmer’s Market is held — were warm clothes, sleeping bags, hygiene products, hot chocolate, sandwiches and a large pot of chili bean soup.

The items are the group’s weapons of choice as they fight against homelessness, substance abuse and mental health problems in the Tri-Cities. It’s all part of an outreach program Campos and others launched a few months back called Operation Red Eye.

The program aims to provide the basics for people to survive on the streets. Dozens of volunteers, mostly Tri-City church members of all ages, descend on downtown Pasco the third Friday of every month between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., when services for the homeless are scant.

The group estimates they have served more than 100 people since starting in November.

While Red Eye volunteers want to make sure people stay warm and fed, the focus is to interact with the homeless to show them others care and to provide resources for them to eventually get off the streets.

“To be honest, we don’t really have services for homeless people or people with substance abuse problems (late at night),” said Marlando Sparks, pastor at Word Life Christian Center. “We thought we needed to bridge these gaps.”

As quickly as the stumbling man arrived out of the alley, he thanked the volunteers after a cup of hot chocolate and headed back toward the tavern.

Minutes later, he returned with blood gushing from an open wound on his head. He had been attacked — likely hit with an object shortly after returning to the bar.

Volunteers rushed over as the man collapsed to the ground. Police and medics were called and he was quickly whisked away to the hospital.

“I think he was coming back for help because he knew we were there.” Campos said. “It was a good thing we were there.”

The scene was a a harsh reminder of the dangers of living on the streets and that volunteers have little control over what happens to a person when they leave the Red Eye camp.

The people who visit are ever-changing. Some use the services just for a night’s worth of company, and a fair number return on a monthly basis.

Others are never seen again, such as Marc Moreno, an 18-year-old Pasco teen who Red Eye members say they served and counseled shortly before he died in the Benton County jail. Moreno, who was mentally ill and arrested while in crisis, served eight days in jail before he was found dead of unknown causes.

Although many stop briefly to grab a sleeping bag or a bowl of soup, volunteers say a simple conversation can save the life of someone struggling to see any value in the world.

“We have people who just hug us,” said Alex Alatorre, volunteer and assistant director at Crossroads Tri-Cities. “They just say thank you. They say we made a life-changing situation.”

Shortly after the group set up downtown on a Friday last month, curious people began trickling in to chat with volunteers and look through clothes.

Volunteers helped a pair of women try on jackets as others greeted them with food. A man parked his bicycle and brought his small dog over for a meal.

Troy Klahm, 55, has been sleeping on Tri-City streets for the past few months after losing his job, he said. He enjoys visiting with the volunteers and stayed to talk long after the others had left.

Klahm feels inspired to get back on his feet after his talks with Red Eye volunteers, he said.

“They are always the nicest people,” he said. “They talk you up and treat you like a normal person, not a homeless person. It gives you some dignity.”

Mike Wilson, 29, knows that dignity can be a hard thing to find when you are worrying about where your next meal will come from and searching for a couch to sleep on at night.

The Kennewick man was homeless for a short period as a teen, a time he called the worst of his life.

“You lose all sense of value,” said Wilson, who now volunteers with Red Eye. “You don’t feel like a person.”

Campos and Sparks give some credit for the group’s success downtown to Pasco Police Chief Bob Metzger, who has supported their efforts to try and make a difference.

There were initial concerns that setting up at the Farmers Market could attract illegal activity to the area, which the department has worked hard to clean up, Campos said.

But Metzger gave his blessing, and the Red Eye has taken off ever since. There have been no major problems since the group started the program.

“Credit to the chief,” Sparks said. “He could pull the plug on this thing at any time.”

Campos is hopeful Red Eye will continue to grow. If the number of volunteers increases, the group could be out in Pasco and other areas more than once a month.

Campos would like to see his group’s efforts possibly lead to an overnight shelter that offers emergency services for the homeless. The idea is to give the homeless a place to stay for a night if the Tri-City Union Gospel Mission in Pasco is closed or becomes full.

“We don’t want to serve them and say bye,” he said. “It’s not to put a Band-Aid on homelessness, but to try and reverse it.”

To donate items to Operation Red Eye, please contact The River Church at 509-546-9353.

This story was originally published April 9, 2016 at 8:15 PM with the headline "Operation Red Eye fights homelessness in Pasco after sunset."