JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — Today, at the St. Susan Center, there's a scene of community, amid displacement.
"We just keep doing what we've always done which is feeding the hungry, no matter if there's an encampment down the road" said Cherie Rowland, executive director of the center.
Rowland helps feed thousands of people a year. She says the State of Emergency enacted by Jamestown officials is not a new phenomenon.
"What you're seeing here in Jamestown is exactly what you're seeing across the United States" said Rowland.
Bonnie Weber, a community activist in Jamestown says that the encampments along the Chadakoin River is a sign of a last resort for those who she says who have nowhere to go.
"We don't want to be out here doing this but we have to be out here doing this because we don't have a choice " Bonnie said.
Bonnie took us through just a small portion of the encampments. The scene just across that portion of the Chadakoin River... is about a quarter mile stretch of scattered and abandoned belongings.
"This is an ongoing problem, it didn't happen overnight," Bonnie said of the crisis declared by Jamestown officials.
Now, the recent call for help from local government signals action long awaited by a community in need. Kim Ecklund, Mayor of Jamestown was not available for comment today, and later shared a recorded statement on Facebook.
The mayor said in part, "We need immediate and decisive action. I call upon our State Government and Governor to release the funds earmarked for Crisis Stabilization Centers (CSCs) and awarded to Recovery Options Made Easy (ROME) without further delay. These resources are essential for addressing this crisis and will provide the immediate support we need for Jamestown."
Commentary on that push forward today coming from Congressman Nick Langworthy, sharing his support for Ecklund. Saying in part, "I stand with her on this and will do everything I can to support Jamestown in its efforts to clean this area up."
As for Bonnie and those she helps, they say homelessness is an issue they can't tackle alone.
"This burden was never supposed to fall on us, our agencies need to step up because we cannot afford to"