Reno Street Audio

Laundry to the People is composed of Ilya Arbatman, Rosie Zuckerman, and Alex Muñoz. The three were connected by Blaize Abuntori of the Reno Burrito Project.

While there have been a handful of groups stepping up and providing nutritious food and hygiene kits to the houseless community locally, less attention has been given to other necessities. Seeing this, Laundry to the People stepped in and began helping people living along the Truckee River get their laundry to the laundromat, cleaned, and dried.

“We basically go down to tent city in a big van,” said Ilya Arbatman, one of the founding members “get people who need their laundry done. They load up their laundry in the van, we meet them at the laundromat and we help them do their laundry.”

A simple action can go a long way if it’s done consistently and with compassion. Run by three community members, Rosie Zuckerman, Alex Muñoz, and Arbatman, the group came together after Blaize Abuntori of the Reno Burrito Project put them in touch. For nine weeks now they have been helping the houseless community wash their clothes.

Recently, Our Town Reno reporter Richard Bednarski met them at the Mr. Bubbles Launderland on Second Street and Wells Avenue, not too far from the encampment where people are being helped. The sun was shining and people were busy shuffling in and out of the laundromat as the large white van pulled in. Moments later, members of the houseless community walked up and began helping Arbatman and Muñoz unload the van, each person carrying a bag full of dirty laundry.

For Michael Guymon, being an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is a career filled with tragedy, bitter realizations, and beautiful moments of brotherhood.

Guymon has been an EMT for about three years and six months full time on the streets of Reno.

As an EMT, Guymon, a UNR graduate, says he has seen sides of Reno he wished did not exist. “It's (Reno) dirtier than I thought it was going to be. Drugs are a lot more rampant here than I first anticipated, and the amount of meth in Reno is pretty absurd.” Meth, he says, remains a serious issue in certain communities.

“So opiates are kind of a more expensive drug, same with like all your like hallucinogenics and cocaine,” Guymon said. “Meth is massive. Super cheap meth is easily obtainable, and you're high lasts for way longer. Fortunately, I don't see too much overdose in terms of heroin and the homeless population. I have encountered meth with people who have hotel rooms or live in some very low-priority housing kind of thing. That's where you start to see meth use.”

Mental health is also an issue he believe has not received enough sustained attention. “A big issue is with drugs and with just the inability for us to actually take care of mental health patients on the street, and they don't get help there. So they just continue to try dosing themselves with random drugs or use like meth or something like that. They're very easily taken advantage of by other people on the street. It's really sad because there's very little that we can do for mental health. And there's very little the ER can do for mental health. We only have, like, I would say probably like four or five major mental health facilities and Reno. And if you don't have insurance, it's kinda difficult to get into those.”

Dealing with downtown ambassadors he says is also a work in progress. Listen to the full episode with Gracie Gordon to find out more of his candid thoughts.

Amie Duncan, the founder of Reno Soup for the Soul, started during the COVID-19 pandemic is now looking to Spring 2021, with a new focus on supplies, sandwiches, salads, and street outreach.  As a mother of one and holding down a full time job, Duncan has carved out time in a busy schedule to do what she can to help her unhoused neighbors. Volunteers help in person or can donate via an Amazon wishlist or a gofundme account.   The reporter for this episode is Richard Bednarski.

"We're trying to make it livable out here. I mean, my tent is the big one over there and, you know, just it's, I think it's ridiculous. I think it's ridiculous when the cops have to come out here and pull all of us out of here. We're not doing anything wrong, you know, we're trying to live just like they do every day. We're trying to get back on our feet and it's hard."

That’s Kelly at Fisherman’s Park near the Truckee River on the Reno/Sparks line, fearing more police sweeps.  Advocates are pushing for mental health and social workers to do outreach rather than police criminalizing those without stable shelter.  

Kelly has been through so much.  She’s lost three of her four children along the way, and her security job during the pandemic.  She gave up a motel spot paid with vouchers to take care of a dog, and returned to living in a tent. Our reporter for this episode is Richard Bednarski.

Hands of Hope, an ingenious food bank, which charges 10 dollars for nearly 200 dollars worth of groceries twice a week for veterans and community members, is now facing having to move from its Valley Road location in Reno due to rent issues. This after Frank Seve had to take over from his parents, after they were deported back to Western Samoa. Our reporter Richard Bednarski has the story.

Michael Carson said he had a turnaround in 2020, with the pandemic and the murder of George Floyd. Seeking guidance from mentors, he is now taking it upon himself to help create a better world, including in northern Nevada. If there’s a sweep going on, he tries to be on the scene doing a Facebook live, to show the community what’s happening. He’s also organized community cleanups along the Truckee River and started a food pantry on his front porch. Our reporter for this episode is Richard Bednarski.

During this difficult stretch in his life, Jeremy is grateful to have people that still look out for him. “I have people that manage some places around here and they let me come in and get my showers and let us do our thing,” Jeremy said of living on the streets but getting help. “They're very cool about it. I've known them a long time and they're not going to let us completely fall on our face. I’m [also] thankful to be alive. I'm thankful for my wife, I'm thankful for my dog, I'm thankful for you guys, right now.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the United States one year ago, Jeremy and his wife have periodically been without shelter. This is their second time camping by the river and it's an experience that Jeremy says is difficult, particularly due to the health complications he’s been suffering lately. The reporter for this episode is Scott King.

It’s another windy day in Reno along the Truckee River. Austin and Eric with the Eddy House are going from tent to tent checking in on people, and if they are young adults offering their services to get them back on track. We’ll also meet one of them Matt who’s been living with his husband in a tent for six months after losing a warehouse job. Our reporter for this episode is Richard Bednarski.

A legend of the local graffiti and skateboarding scene recently passed away. In his tribute a mural is being created in Reno, part of which includes his trademark letter style. Our reporter for this episode Richard Bednarski interviews another graffiti artist taking part in the project who goes by Easoe. He has plenty to say about who he calls the godfather of graffiti in the Truckee meadows as well as about the local and national history of graffiti and the effects of gentrification.

It was a week to remember. Snowfall was following snowfall and the temperature was getting lower and lower. Advocates for those without stable shelter were arguing with Reno City Council members over social media. Officials kept saying beds were still available at the main shelters but what about those who had bad experiences and never wanted to return to those shelters? What about opening up hotel rooms and motel rooms to save people from dying in the streets? That’s when the community stepped up and with a large donor and matching contributions, a new initiative started to get people into motel rooms with private funding.

Our reporter Richard Bednarski caught up with Mary Gilbert from the group RISE which also operates a women’s shelter, as the whole operation was getting underway, starting a new movement with citizens providing the solutions and getting it done as well.