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El Centro City Council tackles homelessness

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The Imperial Valley Continuum Care re-allocated funds to expand Catholic Charities facility to build a day shelter for the homeless. 

Since the pandemic started, nearly 1,200 homeless residents in Imperial County were without temporary or emergency housing.

"There's only an overnight shelter for men in Calexico. We need an overnight shelter here in El Centro," said Lisa Winkler, a homeless advocate.

“The long-term goal is to also bring wrap-around services and I don’t know if there is enough space in that facility to also start a night shelter but I know that is something that has gravely been needed in El Centro," said Sylvia Marroquin, Council Member.  

Councilman Oliva explained why it’s important to have a family shelter.

“I have met couples, who are homeless and prefer to be homeless and be on the streets together because they can protect each other together, the lack of shelter services for both of them to be together and sheltered right because in order to be sheltered they would have to be separate,” said Tomas Oliva, Council Member.  

Homeless advocate Lisa Winkler also discussed how rehabilitation centers are essential to reducing homelessness. 

“We are right around the border with Mexico, Heroin is out of control here in the valley and there is no rehab facility here in El Centro or in Imperial Valley that provides medication during detox,” said Lisa Winkler, Homeless Advocate.

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Gianella Ghiglino

Peruvian-born and LA raised Gianella Ghiglino joins the team from the San Fernando valley. “LA is the place that taught me how to breath and Peru is my breath.” She says she was inspired by the community she grew up in and began documenting her experience through poetry at the age of 7. “I wrote about everything I saw, felt and everything that inspired me.” When she entered High School she joined her school news station and realized that broadcast journalism allowed her to pursue her passion and her purpose all at once. Gianella attended Cal State Northridge and received a Bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Spanish Broadcast Journalism, and Political Science. She did several internships while in College but most notably interned for PBS’s local LA station for three years. “My purpose is to share my story and of those in my community, my passion is writing.”

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