Stepping Up: Charleston church deserves praise for homeless aid
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Once again in the "someone should do something" department, a church in Charleston has -- deciding to take real action to help those struggling with homelessness. St. Marks United Methodist Church in downtown Charleston opened its Transitional Storage Center two years ago in its basement. There, 150 storage bins, totes and lockers -- secured daily with zip ties -- hold the belongings of those with no place to call home.
Between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. each day, participants are able to access their belongings.
"We tried to set it up in between the times that people get out of the shelter and the breakfast and lunch at Manna Meal," program director Miranda Nabers said of the center's hours. "That way, we know people have the time to come in here to get their belongings (or) put them away. If they need to pick up a birth certificate, if they need to (get their) ID, they can come in here. So it's kind of helpful to have that storage place for those important documents you need for housing, for a job."
In the same facility, the center also has charging stations for cellphones, donated clothing and books, and the Kanawha Valley Collective assessment team to help some people get into shelter. The executive director Kevin Jones calls the program a "steppingstone from homelessness to housing."
It took a lawsuit against the city to identify the gap in services now being filled by the storage center. Over the past two years, Jones says 85 participants have left the program because they got into treatment or permanent housing.
"We know that there was a need for it, and so we just kind of pushed ahead with it," Jones said.
Thank goodness they did. We know there is a need, and we know this kind of help is a hand up, rather than a hand out. While our communities are filled with organizations trying to make a difference (some doing similar work to that at the Transitional Storage Center), such a facility is another project to consider, for those looking to expand.