In the News: WYFF News 4 Shares The Salvation Army's Shelter Revitalization Plans
WYFF News 4 visited The Salvation Army of Greenville's shelter campus to learn more about the organization's plans to revitalize its facilities as homeless population grows. Read the story below.
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. — During this week's storms, the Greenville Salvation Army said so many people sought shelter that staff had to turn some people away. But some new plans for the campus could change that.
Since breaking ground on the Rutherford Street campus in 1950, Greenville's homeless population has risen to about 4,100, more than 1,600 of which are students in Greenville County's school system.
"And so, what we have now was necessary then, but we need to adapt and change so we can face the challenges that we have today," Maj. John-Phil Winter said. "We have a men's shelter, and we have a women's and children's shelter. But we don't have space for a single father with children. We don't have space to keep families together if mom and dad are still together. "
That's why the Greenville County Salvation Army is looking to revitalize its campus, rebuilding new spaces to shorten the shelter's existing waitlist, especially on days with extreme weather.
"They are at the mercy of the elements. When it's cold, they want to get warm, when it's sunny, they need shade," he said.
The new layout will include space for men, women and children, families, and transitional housing to help working men and women save for permanent housing.
"A good number of those we house are working," Winter said. "And they're working full time, some of them. But that job doesn't pay enough for them to move out into somewhere that's safe and secure."
Staff said they're still in their planning phase. In the meantime, they're helping those in need using what they have and the community's generosity to help the homeless.
Read the story on WYFF News 4 HERE.
The Salvation Army of Greenville Major Jon-Phil Winter shares with reporter Peyton Furtado the need to update shelter facilities to better serve the homeless in the community.