Crime & Safety
Longest Night Ceremonies Held In Riverside, Indio, Hemet: What To Know
After sunset, volunteers will give blankets, jackets, food and supplies for homeless, including Narcan in a wave of "compassionate support."
RIVERSIDE, CA—The plight of the homeless and the ongoing effort to provide resources to those in need will be at the heart of multiple events planned Thursday in Riverside, Hemet and Indio.
Riverside County officials have organized gatherings to commemorate the "Longest Night," which is the winter solstice, but also an occasion to underscore the adversity facing those on the streets or otherwise unsheltered, as well as honor those who have died under such circumstances.
"Riverside County is committed to mobilizing all available resources to address the urgent needs of our homeless community," outgoing Board Chairman Kevin Jeffries said. "We stand united in our mission to provide hope, care and support to every individual facing the hardship of homelessness."
Find out what's happening in Banning-Beaumontfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A Longest Night ceremony is scheduled between 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday at Fairmount Park, 2601 Fairmount Blvd., Riverside. Supervisor Karen Spiegel will join City Councilwoman Erin Edwards and Greg Coffos, director of the county Veterans Services Agency, for the event.
A similar ceremony is set for 5 p.m. at the Indio Behavioral Health Clinic, 44-199 Monroe St., and at 6 p.m. in the Hemet Behavioral Health Clinic, 650 N. State St.
Find out what's happening in Banning-Beaumontfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Along with remembrance services, county Behavioral Health workers and volunteers from regional nonprofits will be handing out blankets, jackets, hygiene products, snacks and information sheets on how to obtain county services. Additionally, Narcan, an opioid antagonist nose spray that can arrest the effects of an overdose from fentanyl and other illicit drugs, will be distributed, officials said.
"Addressing homelessness requires more than temporary solutions; it demands a range of services to address physical and behavioral health and housing," Spiegel said. "Our mission is to break the cycle of homelessness with comprehensive, compassionate support."
The county's most recent Point-In-Time homeless survey, conducted in January, identified 3,725 homeless individuals countywide, a 12% increase from 2022.
"In the past fiscal year, the county housed over 5,000 individuals, of which 86% remain housed," according to a Housing & Workforce Solutions statement. "The department added 614 permanent supportive housing units across the entire county."
Thursday's events are open to all residents.
