Areas of focus in the order we plan to do them.

  • Cleanup.

    It’s imperative that our public spaces are clean, maintained, and made safe. Started in November 2021, 4PA operates a full-time crew to cleanup abandoned homeless encampments and illegal dump sites. We also monitor these areas weekly so they don’t get utilized again. This work is done in conjunction with a variety of other city agencies we’ve established relationships with and within the parameters of the law.

  • Temporary shelter.

    Although it’s crucial to mitigate camping in our public spaces, the unsheltered in our community need to have a safe place to relocate. The Touchstone Campus will be just that. Comprised of spaces for small dwellings, buildings that offer amenities such as bathrooms & showers, plus a headquarters for our cleaning operation, this location will serve as a temporary place to stay while connecting people with services that can get them on the path towards a permanent solution.

  • Expansion.

    At 4PA we dream big and see a hopeful future of continual community projects. Each one adding to the infrastructure and growing economy in our town. Maybe a restaurant staffed with people who were formerly homeless? How about turning empty buildings into affordable storefronts for new small business owners? The sky is the limit when we work together! Stay tuned and be sure to sign up for updates.

  • Small business advocacy.

    Businesses in our downtown have been impacted by the increased population of unsheltered. Theft and property damage have taken a toll. We are planning an advocacy group to give a collective voice to our business owners. This will include training on how to protect property, cohesive signage to clearly indicate areas of no trespass, resources to help offset damages, and accountability for absentee landlords who don’t maintain their property.

More about our story…

-A message from founder Joe DeScala

It started with a simple observation several years ago when the number of the homeless in our community began to change. I’ve been a long-time runner and was used to seeing unsheltered people as I navigated through our trails and public areas. Although I often saw people, it was generally just a few, and they never appeared to be setting up encampments. Sometime in 2017 a shift started; an increase in the number of homeless I saw on a regular basis, plus encampments and trash. I’m not saying an increase wasn’t occurring prior to this time, just not encroaching into visible public spaces. What troubled me the most however, was some of the behavior I witnessed. There appeared to be an accompanying disregard for their surroundings, doing what they pleased no matter who or what it affected. Was it drugs? Mental health problems? Despair? Or perhaps a combination? At this point, I wasn’t entirely sure.

Fast forward a few years and homelessness took center stage in discussions as larger surrounding cities became overwhelmed. I realized very quickly that my observations were an indication that our small community would soon find itself in the same situation. I was born and raised in Port Angeles. I love it here and this is where my family has put down roots. I’ve also dedicated the last 20 years to helping people as a local faith leader, coach, volunteer, and small business owner. My point is that I care deeply for people and my concern grew for the wellbeing of our community and those within it. I recognized that we weren’t prepared to care for, or properly deal with, the people living on our streets. I can’t state enough that my heart is to help people and see them made whole, but it must be done in conjunction with maintaining the safety and wellbeing of our community.

In 2019 I began asking questions and learning as much as I could on the topic of homelessness, specifically in Port Angeles. I made appointments and had many conversations with city officials, law enforcement, those in social services, as well as volunteers involved in encampment cleanup. As I began to identify people who were actively serving in this arena, I volunteered when I could to observe how they interacted with the homeless. As a result, I’ve fostered some incredible working relationships with people spanning several areas of this field.

The other outcome from this informational time was that I came to some conclusions on the matter myself. It became evident, that although we have people working hard to solve this problem in our city, there are some glaring blindspots. Resources are spread thin and some of the most vital work to help mitigate the growing problem was being neglected. It is my opinion, as well as the team that I’ve assembled, that the cleanup effort must be fortified and city pride restored. Our public spaces and parks cannot serve as a fallback option for those experiencing homelessness to find shelter. It’s important we implement plans for transitional housing, and these plans have a better chance of success when camping in public areas stops.

Of course I want those experiencing homelessness to gain housing now. However, when you look at a holistic approach for a small community such as ours, you must think long-term and realize a problem that has been years in the making doesn’t get fixed immediately with a few tiny homes. Exclusively prioritizing shelter while not setting boundaries on encampments in public spaces can do more harm than good in the long run. It leaves our city vulnerable by not progressing our unsheltered on a path towards more appropriate locations. We are a town with an economy that depends on our environment being clean and we have an obligation to protect it. The methods (or lack thereof) that have been used in the past have led to what we are seeing now; an increase in the homeless population and not a reduction. Temporary shelters will serve as a vital part of the plan as long as they are done in conjunction with protective measures for our public spaces. From my perspective, it is not callous to fully enforce “no camping” in public spaces, because Port Angeles currently has an overnight shelter that is available to those that want to use it. In other words, there is an option while we work on our plan to construct temporary housing.

This is where 4PA comes in. It’s an organization thoroughly thought out and designed to address the needs of both our city and its most vulnerable occupants. It’s not a quick fix but a commitment towards a sustainable solution. I truly hope the mission is clear and the heartbeat is heard to help ALL the citizens of this beautiful place we call home.

- Joe

 

The 4PA Team

Justin is a bedside nurse at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, which treats and helps the underserved in the community. He also has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and has worked as a volunteer for at-risk youth. His experience in the medical field brings an important perspective to 4PA in dealing with homelessness.

Justin Snook- Board Member

Nicole Johnson- Secretary - Board Member

Nicole Johnson is a court reporter/stenographer by trade and certified in three states. She was born and raised in Port Angeles, WA, and also owns a small business there, inspiring her deep passion for the town to grow and succeed. She has been a part of many local volunteer and fundraising events, including fun runs, music festivals, cleanup missions, school activities, and the United Way.

Greg Voyles - Treasurer

Greg Voyles, a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner, grew up in Sequim, where he continues to live with his wife and two daughters. He owns an accounting firm in Port Angeles, providing financial services to both clients and the local community. Greg holds a BA in Environmental Education and a BS in Accounting, drawing on his varied educational background to support nonprofit organizations and local businesses. 

Dei holds a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Built Environments with a focus on sustainable buildings and community development. Her academic background emphasizes the integration of social,
environmental, and economic justice into built environments, ensuring sustainable solutions that benefit diverse communities. She also brings over eight years of volunteer experience in emergency management, having worked as a Search and Rescue volunteer and manager in Canada in support of vulnerable populations in critical situations. Her combined experiences contribute effectively to projects that prioritize equity and resilience in housing and community development.

Dei Thomas - Vice President

Joe is the founder, director, and board president of 4PA. growing up in Port Angeles gave him a deep love for our community. With a degree in Biology, plus years as a local faith leader and pastor, his unique background gave him the heart to help both people and our environment. As most followers and supporters know, Joe is hands on in leading the quest to clean up our community and is first to answer a request to pick up a mess. He leads our team and board with a passion for helping and is purposeful in our mission.

Joe DeScala - President, Founder

Sabrina Luabena - Administrator

Dan Gregory - Cleaning Crew Lead

Nick Bushree - Cleaning Crew

Jodie Newton - Cleaning Crew

FAQs

  • The money pledged is going directly to cleanup efforts and housing solutions for the homeless. We utilized the funds from our first funding round to purchase the necessary cleanup and safety equipment, hire three employees, and cover the costs of operation. This includes such items as trash grabbers, disinfectants, safety vests, insurance, and more. In addition, we have moved into the next phase of funding which will include utilizing resources to construct and operate structures to house the homeless.

  • YES! We received our 501(c)(3) non profit designation from the IRS effective September 1, 2021. Any contribution received on or after that date is tax deductible. We are also a registered charitable organization in Washington state. Gotta love that!

    EIN# 87-2448613

  • NO. All community donations go toward the cleaning of public spaces and our future shelter projects. Anytime you see us doing a job on private property, the owner is paying us directly. We bid the job as a contractor and they pay our labor and dump fees. This is called “fee for service” and many non-profits do this type of work as a source of income.

  • YES. Although 4PA has no direct contracts with other agencies, we spent years prior to our launch fostering good working relationships with others. We share information with and support law enforcement, the City of Port Angeles, Clallam County, medical teams, and a number of social services. We believe the issue of homelessness has many different elements that take a variety of organizations working together to solve.

  • 4PA has developed a volunteer program for those wanting to help. We set routes that cover areas we’ve previously cleaned in order to maintain them. Most are focused near our downtown corridor and are central to our citizens and tourists. Click here to volunteer.

  • No we don’t. Our main priority is to help the unsheltered off the streets. One common thing you will hear us say is that we don’t want to make someone’s life harder than it already is. The sites that we clean have been abandoned. This is verified by returning to the site multiple times before cleaning to see if anything has changed or moved, or confirmed by one of our social service partners. Even so, if we find items that appear to belong to someone, or have significant value, we notify law enforcement and they are cataloged and stored for claiming. If we encounter a camp that is being occupied, but no one is there, we don’t take anything and come back until we can talk to the occupants directly. If we encounter a camp being actively occupied, we help clean around the camp and begin our relationship with the people staying there. This includes helping them connect with any services they need, talking about a possible relocation plan, and ultimately finding a safer, stable, and more appropriate location not on public land.