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Panel discusses homeless services

NEW ULM — Panelists and the public discussed homeless services in and around Brown County after viewing a compelling two-hour fictional movie in the New Ulm Public Library basement Thursday.

The newly-released dramatic film “The Public” highlights the role a library played in serving its city’s homeless population.

The 119-minute film — with cast including Alec Baldwin, Jena Malone, Christian Slater and Emilio Estevez who starred in, wrote and directed the film — was theatrically released in the United States by Universal Pictures on April 5, 2019.

The movie plot centers on a large group of homeless library patrons who refuse to leave a downtown public library at closing time after learning emergency shelters are full during brutally cold weather.

A non-violent, Occupy-style sit-in and civil disobedience act becomes a standoff with riot police before dozens of homeless men are arrested.

Filmed in Cincinnati in January 2017, the PG-13 movie was described by Rotten Tomatoes as “an earnest and reasonably engaging social advocacy drama.”

Assistant New Ulm Public Library Director April Ide said the movie was inspired by an op-ed column from retiring Salt Lake City librarian Chip Ward about how libraries became de facto homeless shelters and librarians became first responders and social workers.

Ide said Estevez said his love of Los Angeles libraries began in the late 1990s when he researched what became the movie “Bobby,” about Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 assassination. Estevez wrote, directed and starred in that 2006 film too.

In the movie, Estevez said books and libraries saved his life, helping him through a difficult period in which he straightened himself out after being in trouble.

He made the movie to show the everyday challenges of running a library even when some of its most loyal patrons depended on it to help them survive, while dealing with mental and physical problems, addictions and other issues.

After the movie, a number of agency leaders helped facilitate discussion of their services to the needy in Brown County.

Facilitators included Minnesota Valley Action Council (MVAC) Homelessness Prevention Supportive Services Counselor Kate Hengy-Gretz, Brown County Human Services social worker Annie Braun, NUMAS Haus Shelter Coordinator Karla Diehn and NUMAS Haus Board President and Nora Unitarian Universalist Church Pastor Lisa Doege.

“Yes, there are homeless in Brown County,” said Doege. “They may not look like the homeless in the movie, but we want to serve that community beyond our local population.”

Hengy-Gretz said MVAC offers help to people needing housing by paying a deposit and first month’s rent.

Braun said Brown County Human Services offers financial services, energy assistance, social chemical dependency services and emergency fund access.

Diehn said NUMAS Haus offers shelter in addition to employment services and classes on how to become informed renters.

“We have more than 80 families on a waiting list. There are more people beyond that,” Diehn said. “Sixty-three percent of families we help move into their own housing after we help them. Eighty-four percent of them remain housed and are doing well.”

Diehn said NUMAS Haus needs are laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and cards for groceries and gas in addition to funding donations for continued operation.

Hengy-Gretz said MVAC helps the needy with problem-solving, including finding work, but it is only able to help about a quarter of the people it screens.

“Others get help from their county, move in with friends, sleep in vehicles or return to live with partners that are often violent,” Hengy-Gretz said.

“I look to the day we can address more cases,” Doege said. “We don’t have enough Section 8 or affordable housing.”

Shari Schiltz of New Ulm said she grew up in Goosetown in New Ulm and was homeless for a time after she was divorced.

“I was saved by the grace of God. I’m tough, a survivor. I’ve survived cervical cancer,” Schiltz said.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.

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