DELIBERATELY DIVERSE | by Mitch Drummond
“Deliberately Diverse” represents the thoughts and views of a group of Taylor friends who almost never entirely agree on anything but appreciate the opportunity to share opinions and discussions in our beloved community.
Following the Texas public camping ban in 2021, the Taylor City Council approved an ordinance in January 2023 to ban camping in public areas, effectively making it illegal to be unhoused.
A group of concerned residents met and decided that while we can do little about the ordinance, we could make the lives of our unsheltered neighbors a little easier. We partnered with St. James Episcopal Church, which was already assisting with cold-weather shelter needs.
Taylor Center for Assistance and Navigation grew out of that relationship. Since then, we have paid for countless motel rooms for cold-weather shelter and other requirements, and assisted the Taylor Police Department Victim Services when needed.
About a year ago, another nonprofit out of Leander, Lighter Loads ATX, was closing and word got to us that they had a shower trailer that needed a good home.
They generously donated that trailer to TCAN with the understanding that it would be made available to other groups in Williamson County.
This year, we had three hazardous-weather events in January where we housed and fed more than 40 individuals and families at local motels for multiple days. Last week, Taylor experienced a fourth freeze even colder than the first three and St. James opened its fellowship hall Sunday night through the following Saturday as a 24-hour warming center. TCAN recruited volunteers to staff the center and care for the guests.
Air mattresses were purchased, blankets, coats, clothes and supplies were donated.
Once the daytime temperature rose above freezing, TCAN opened the shower trailer and gave our guests the gift of hot water and clean clothes.
Breakfast tacos from a local restaurant were delivered every morning and Meals on Wheels of Williamson County provided food from their kitchen during the week so everyone could have a hot meal.
Baylor Scott & White Health offered prepackaged sandwiches, and others donated snacks and chips to fill in. Of course, all of this comes at a cost.
The city of Taylor budgeted some funds for coldweather shelter and our community opened their hearts and pocketbooks to donate funds to help with these expenses. When the freeze broke and the smoke cleared Saturday, we all breathed a sigh of relief.
Now, there is a joint effort with St. James, Good Life Taylor Texas and TCAN to create a commercial kitchen at St. James to benefit local food trucks and allow TCAN to provide meals, especially during chilly events in the future.
Things are certainly coming together.
Many thanks to all of you in the community who volunteered and donated to get to this point; none of this would have happened otherwise. It really does take a village.
Drummond is a longtime Taylor resident and former City Council member.
