In the News: Fox Carolina Talks to The Salvation Army About Community Needs
Fox Carolina's Kennedi Harris interviewed The Salvation Army of Greenville's Director of Social Services Lauren Stephens to learn more about how the community can help those experiencing homelessness. Read the story below.
GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Extreme weather, like high heat and heavy rain, means more people seeking shelter and assistance. The Salvation Army of Greenville serves hundreds of people weekly, and that need only grows during these times.
Organization leaders say anytime there’s bad weather, shelter space fills up while resources dwindle. Wednesday, they had to turn away 47 people because they didn’t have room. There are ways you can help, and they need that assistance more than ever.
“If you want to ever know what the book of Matthew looks like, come to the Salvation Army. It is service, it is the hands and feet, it is what faith looks like as it walks through a hard place,” said Lauren Stephens, the Director of Social Services, describing the organization’s service.
Across the Salvation Army’s men’s and women’s shelters, 89 beds were full Wednesday night. Stephens gave a tour of the men’s facility.
“I would say that the need is so much greater than the actual supply of assistance that we can provide. We need quadruple the amount of beds in order to even put a dent in the issue of the unhoused in Greenville,” she said.
Each person has a story with unique challenges.
“We have to offer right now we have in this room very room a young man who’s in his 20s, another man is 87 years old,” said Men’s Shelter Manager Gonza Bryant.
Stephens says they do the best they can to help as many as they can with outdated facilities.
“We do the things that Greenville needs us to do, and to be honest, we need Greenville to help us do those things,” she said.
They rely on donations for the shelters, utility assistance and food giveaway boxes. During urgent times—those donations dwindle fast.
“When you’re preparing for one thing to take place, you get supplied as best you can, and then another thing happens,” she explained.
For the heat, they need fans for families without A/C, water for people on the streets, and jackets or rain ponchos. They’ll always take baby formula, canned goods and food that doesn’t need to be cooked or need a can opener to open—like Chef Boyardee or fruit cups.
“We’re asking for variety, we’re asking for not expired,” said Stephens. “We’re not here for us. We are here to see those who other people so easily look past.”
You’re welcome to donate those tangible items mentioned above, but Stephens says what really goes the farthest is financial donations. That way, they can use the money to buy whatever they need most at the time. Click here to donate.
