WASHINGTON — Daniel Goodman’s job title is rapid rehousing specialist.
It’s his job to help homeless people in Montgomery County find more than just shelter for the night. He acts as a sort of middleman between Bethesda Cares, a local nonprofit, and landlords who may at first be reluctant to take part in a program designed to get people off the streets.
It’s not always easy: There are nights when he’s approaching people who may be either anxious or aggressive. But all are in need.
Recently, Montgomery County celebrated reaching what officials call “Functional Zero” in housing homeless veterans: The county was able to identify 58 veterans in need of shelter, and found housing for all of them.
But County Councilman George Leventhal says that doesn’t mean homelessness is no longer a problem; it simply means that for right now, every homeless vet who needed shelter got it.
It will take workers such as Goodman, and programs such as Bethesda Cares, to continue chipping away at the problem of homelessness in one of the wealthiest counties in the nation.
Goodman, like many of us, struggled with what to do when confronted with someone on the street asking for spare change.
“Before I got into homeless services, I would give $10” to someone with an outstretched hand and hope that it would help.
But Goodman says those on-the-street donations often don’t help.
“Sometimes [that] money goes to places it shouldn’t go,” he said.
If you’re looking for a way to help, Goodman says, donate to your local shelter where immediate needs can be met.
“We provide toothbrushes; we provide food; we provide shower programs.”
Then the long-term needs are addressed. “For instance, there may be a particular client who needs some sort of job training. So a year from now, when the subsidy runs out, he’s able to maintain his rent on his own.”
Goodman says some of the clients he works with have been on the street for decades. Once given a chance to get stable housing, the changes can be dramatic. They go from “survival mode” to achieving independence.
Goodman, a Montgomery County native, says he relishes his job — it allows him to help people 365 days a year. Considering the demands and the nature of his work, he says, “I’m very happy. And it’s a blessing to be able to help.”
