Leaders discuss long- and short-term goals on homelessness

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – It received’t carry change in a single day, however it’s going to make a distinction for years to return.

Augusta commissioners handed a strategic plan from town’s homelessness process power to assist the tons of of individuals residing in Augusta and not using a place to name house.

It’s a long-term plan with quite a lot of shifting components. Whereas they will put some efforts to work instantly, others will take a while.

Some long-term objectives embody a brand new Salvation Military shelter and constructing inexpensive housing. They have to discover the cash to make it occur. Via years of labor on this plan, the duty power discovered and created initiatives they determined to maintain in place.

Some issues are already making a distinction. It’s not fairly a house, however the Love Centered on Fenwick Road affords so much.

“Garments, meals, shelter throughout the daytime, any hygiene merchandise they could want,” stated Lakesha Armstrong, Love Centered Ministry’s founder.

Quickly, their day companies will probably be partnered with the duty power initiatives.

Job power chief Daniel Evans stated: “There’s a direct want. There’s a human being on the finish of the dialog that should really feel secure and safe with themselves and their belongings for a protracted interval of the day.”

Day sheltering is among the short-term, energetic objectives of the duty power. Together with aiding to cease evictions within the courtroom. The Road Outreach staff continues to satisfy individuals on the streets, connecting them with sources.

Armstrong stated: “The largest want all the time has been, ‘how can we get long run shelter?’ I’ve much more individuals this 12 months sleeping of their vehicles.”

Some options take somewhat extra money.

Evans stated: “Similar to in any group, Augusta in relation to dealing, not simply with the difficulty of homelessness however poverty usually, has a better sense of want than we do entry to sources.”

Establishing a psychological well being courtroom to maintain individuals out of jail, employment pipelines via a useful resource heart, and inexpensive housing will take some time longer.

However even when just for a day, one step is progress.

Armstrong stated: “On the finish of the day, that’s our aim. We need to meet the wants of the individuals.”

Love Centered Ministry serves about 55 individuals per day of their day shelter. As soon as the partnership is sealed with town, they anticipate to serve about 80.

To volunteer or donate, go to Love Centered Ministries.

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