By Michael R. Grigsby, Editor | Somerset-Pulaski Advocate
By weaving radical dignity with low-barrier grace, Jessica Lee and her dedicated team at Help the Homeless are shattering stereotypes and answering over 100 cries for help every single day.
SOMERSET, KY (SPA)—Walk through the doors of 408 Bogle Street between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on any given weekday, and the first things you will encounter are the rich aroma of hot coffee, a cooler of crisp water, and a smiling face. For someone enduring the compounding trauma of life on the street, this modest reception area is more than just an office—it is a sanctuary where judgment stops at the threshold and dignity is restored.
At the heart of this operation is Jessica Lee (legally Jessica Lee Luster), a Somerset native whose profound empathy and relentless drive have transformed local grassroots outreach into a lifeline for hundreds of Pulaski County residents.
The Genesis: A Promise Born of Grief
The powerhouse organization known today as **Help the Homeless Somerset, KY** did not begin with corporate grants or municipal funding; it began with a devastating personal loss.
"I was inspired to start a movement in my hometown to focus on our neighbors in great need of resources after losing my only sibling, John, to a fentanyl overdose," Lee shares. "For years I sat with the pain, replaying in my mind any way our family could have saved him, or at least better equipped him to fight the monster of addiction."
Help the Homeless Timeline:
[Dec 2022] Started out of Jessica's living room & car trunk
[May 2023] Opened first small drop-in office
[Present] Fully operational Drop-In Center at 408 Bogle Street
Channeling her grief into a profound awareness of the suffering around her, Lee began noticing a growing number of local residents stranded, hungry, and battling severe addiction without a roadmap to help. In December 2022, she launched her mission from the living room of her home and the trunk of her car, armed with nothing more than a cheap notepad, a deep curiosity about the root causes of rural displacement, and a volunteer shift at the New Life Warming Center.
In the early days, resources were incredibly sparse. When Lee opened her first small drop-in office in May 2023, the organization relied entirely on heart and whatever random provisions came their way. "I can remember when all we had to feed folks was confetti-flavored popcorn and seltzer waters a kind discount store had donated to us," Lee recalls with a nostalgic smile.
Yet, from those humble beginnings, a vital network grew. By sharing the lived realities of Somerset's unsheltered population on a small Facebook group page, Lee captured the community's attention and conscience. Donors, volunteers, and neighbors in crisis soon began arriving in numbers that were both overwhelming and deeply heartwarming.
Shattering Rural Misconceptions
The pervasive stigmas that cloud the public's understanding of homelessness. In rural regions like South-Central Kentucky, displacement rarely mirrors the stereotypes seen in metropolitan areas.
"If I could shatter one common misconception about local homelessness, it would be the negative stigmas painting individuals in categories of lazy, drug-addicted, mentally ill, or a combination of the three," Lee states firmly.
While Help the Homeless proudly connects individuals to rehabilitation and mental health services, Lee emphasizes that the faces of homelessness are vastly diverse. The organization frequently serves the following:
- Veterans who have faced sudden evictions.
- Working families who are thrown into sudden crisis by a single missed paycheck.
- Elderly neighbors squeezed by inflation and fixed incomes.
- Young adults aging out of the foster care system.
- Individuals with differing intellectual abilities.
- "A medical emergency, job loss, domestic violence, or the sudden sale of a rental home—many unpredictable factors can lead a neighbor to our door," Lee explains.
Overwhelming Demand and Institutional Wins
To accurately quantify the scope of the issue, the organization recently implemented a custom tracking database. The metrics revealed an astonishing reality: during its six-hour daily operational window, the center routinely fulfills **over 100 requests every single day**. These requests range from basic material needs, like a pair of shoes, to complex case management crises. In January of this year alone, **268 unique individuals** experiencing homelessness walked through the Bogle Street doors seeking aid.
The scale of this operation has earned Help the Homeless substantial institutional respect and key partnerships. Today, the center works hand-in-hand with an extensive network of local entities, including:
- The Somerset Police Department and Pulaski County Sheriff's Office.
- Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital.
- The Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Department for Community-Based Services.
- The Pulaski County Detention Center.
Lee’s team also actively participates in the local **Situation Table** and the **Somerset-Pulaski Interagency Group**, ensuring that local resources collaborate rather than compete.
This systemic resilience was put to the ultimate test during the devastating regional tornado of 2025. Despite being officially closed when the storm hit, Lee’s dedicated staff mobilized the following morning. They transformed the office into an emergency shelter, distributed truckloads of food, water, and emergency supplies across Pulaski and neighboring counties, and provided life-saving transportation to safety.
The true measure of the center's impact lies in the lives it restores. Lee recalls a powerful example from last year, when local law enforcement contacted her office regarding a man stranded in his car.
Client Journey: From Crisis to Self-Sufficiency
1. The Crisis: Grieving the loss of his brother, unable to afford rent, living in his car until the engine failed, and losing his ability to earn an income.
2. Immediate Relief: Local police brought him to Bogle Street. He received a hot shower, fresh clothes, shoes, and a meal from Chick-fil-A.
3. Action Plan: The staff evaluated their goals. He was shuttled to a working recovery program in a neighboring county.
4. Integration: He returned to Pulaski County, secured a manufacturing job, walked to any shift required, and utilized transitional housing.
5. The Outcome: Transitioned to a less labor-intensive career path where he now works helping others and is currently preparing to move into his own permanent residence.
Low Barriers, High Dignity: Navigating Services
What makes Help the Homeless uniquely effective is its radically compassionate philosophy. It is a **low-barrier assistance mission**, meaning it does not require legal identification or extensive background documentation to receive help.
"This is vital for residents who don't qualify for traditional social services or who need safety-net support after exhausting other avenues," Lee notes. Aside from a standard warrant check to ensure safety on their regional transportation runs, the center serves everyone equally—from individuals with clean backgrounds to those with extensive criminal records and from those in active addiction to those long in recovery.
Once baseline comforts like a hot shower, access to a clothing closet, and food pantry items are secured, the intensive work begins. The center’s comprehensive services include:
The Shelter Shuttle: Lee's self-described favorite initiative, which drives neighbors directly to regional treatment facilities, transitional housing, or back home to out-of-state family support networks.
The ID Project: A partnership with Volunteers of America and Goodwill Industries that guides clients through the paperwork and fees required to obtain birth certificates and state picture IDs.
Digital Literacy & Employment: Free daily access to high-speed Wi-Fi, laptops, copying, and fax machines, alongside professional clothing to help individuals secure and maintain employment.
The Children's Room: A dedicated, bright space filled with toys and books to offer a sense of normal, joyful childhood to the youngest visitors.
Powered by an Exceptional Volunteer Engine
The everyday miracles taking place at 408 Bogle Street are kept alive by a tightly knit, diverse ecosystem of volunteers. Among the key figures are **Miss Kathy**, the welcoming door greeter who guides guests to sign in and helps them locate free beverages; **Sherlene**, a seasoned volunteer with professional case management experience who regularly orchestrates "sheltering miracles"; and **Warren**, the devoted Shelter Shuttle driver who drops everything at a moment's notice to transport clients to safety.
Meet the On-the-Ground Team:
- Miss Kathy (Front Door Greeter & Hospitality)
- Sherlene (Expert Case Management & Housing Specialist)
- Warren (On-Call Shelter Shuttle Driver)
- Anna (EKU Social Work Graduate & Front Desk Lead)
They are joined by **Anna**, a recent Eastern Kentucky University Social Work graduate who manages the front desk, alongside participants from Somerset Community College’s Ready to Work Program, state SNAP/KTAP initiatives, Goodwill’s Senior Citizen Employment Program, local Drug Court, and individuals with lived experiences who simply want to give back. Civic clubs, local businesses, and congregations also step up daily, supplying everything from hand-woven sleeping mats and furniture to prepared daily lunches.
A Divine Calling: How You Can Help
For Jessica Lee, the commitment to this work runs far deeper than standard civic volunteerism. It is rooted in her own history.
"I myself have been a single parent, impoverished, experienced food insecurity, and have survived domestic violence," she shares with vulnerable candor. "Volunteering my time and heart at our mission is much more of a calling from God than a job or volunteer opportunity for me. While we can’t always solve every issue, we do our absolute best to make sure our neighbors are clean, fed, clothed, sheltered, productive, and loved."
Currently, the organization’s most critical material need is food for its center. Data shows that an astonishing 80% of all community requests brought to the center involve food insecurity and a direct request for food.
Join the Movement: Contact & Donation Details
The community is warmly encouraged to send financial contributions, drop off physical food and clothing donations, or sign up for volunteer shifts directly through the following channels:
📍 Physical Address: 408 Bogle Street, Somerset, KY 42503
📞 Direct Hotline (Call or Text) 606-875-3893 (Best contact for immediate after-hours housing crises.)
📧 Email Support: HelptheHomelessSomerset@outlook.com
🌐 Online Community: Search for their active, rapidly growing community page on Facebook to request resources or coordinate drop-offs.
🕒 Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Walk-ins welcome; appointments can be coordinated via phone or text).
**Emergency Note:** If you or someone you know is facing an immediate, life-threatening housing or safety crisis overnight and cannot reach the center immediately, please contact local law enforcement agencies right away for emergency intervention.
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