GREAT FALLS — Homeless residents in Great Falls say they have someone watching over them as we all continue through the pandemic.
"She's an angel," said homeless resident Timothy James Schutts. "She doesn't have to do this for us."
Carley Tuss is the Director of Homeless Services at St. Vincent de Paul's Angel Center. Since Covid-19, she’s been feeding the hungry in Great Falls by serving lunches each week in the same parking lot.
Tuss says the simple act of serving a lunch not only gives people a free meal, it also brings valuable dollars into the community. "We've been responsible for over 100 people being counted (in the U.S. Census) right from this food truck-that's a substantial contribution to the community," she said.
Part of what we've done to help the community is participate actively in the 2020 Census.
Tuss says she’s seen new faces who have signed up for the Census. "By being out here, it's expanded my ability to get people counted," she said.
She believes funding gained through their efforts helps programs that get homeless and at-risk individuals back on their feet.
But a fresh start begins with mercy and a meal. "Helping folks through those steps is starts by not being starved,:" said Tuss. "Starts by not being hungry."
"I love her like my mother," said homeless resident Thomas Brown. "Carley is the one that feeds us. She does all this work for us."
