Jake Nau, Community Resource Center Outreach Manager, Speaks Out About the Crisis of Unhoused Seniors & Individuals Living with Disabilities
St Vincent de Paul of Tacoma, Pierce County Outreach Team works tirelessly on behalf of the unhoused residents of Pierce County—and Community Resource Center Outreach Manager Jake Nau, who helped launch and now manages the SVdP Street Outreach Program, is leading the charge.
As reported by the Tacoma News Tribune on June 4th, 2025, Jake spoke before the Pierce County Council’s Health and Human Services Committee earlier this month about the crisis unfolding in plain sight: the rising number of seniors and people with disabilities living unhoused.
He shared that more than 50% of the individuals he connects with on the streets are over age 55 or are living with serious physical or mental health challenges. “They were housed here, and now they are not,” he told the council, emphasizing that these are longtime community members who are aging faster, getting sicker, and often falling through the cracks.
Too often, seniors and disabled individuals are unable to access shelter spaces that meet their needs. Many are turned away due to a lack of ADA-compliant facilities or due to the lack of long-term care options. The SVdP Outreach team meets these people where they are—offering essential supplies, compassionate support, and connections to the resources available in the community.
It’s difficult, necessary work—and it saves lives.
“On the street, there are perpetrators of harm and victims. Seniors and people with disabilities are almost always the victims,” Jake told the Tacoma News Tribune. “Our parents and grandparents get exploited, robbed, beaten, and bullied.”
At St. Vincent de Paul Tacoma-Pierce, we believe everyone deserves dignity, safety, and care—no exceptions. Through outreach, advocacy, and your support, we continue building a stronger, more compassionate Pierce County for all.
To read the full article on the Tacoma News Tribune website, click here.
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