Augusta, GA
New Salvation Army shelter could be coming to Augusta, but some worry
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Salvation Army made an important announcement about a new shelter coming to Augusta.
Major Jonathan Raymer says they average 14 kids a night, so they have to shift how they address homelessness in the community.
Raymer says he believes the need has gone beyond the current facility on Greene Street.
“My vision for the shelter, similar to here, is a built-in ministry of dignity for those who are experiencing homelessness,” he said.
SEE THE ANNOUNCEMENT:
People experiencing homelessness come to the Center of Hope for one thing — hope.
“Most of them, if not all of them, want stability in their life,” said Raymer.
But while the Salvation Army wants to continue to help the community, some people worry about the location of the new facility.
“It’s tough in the community, you know, every community has rough, rough spots. I’m not saying that this is a rough spot, we have work to do, just like everybody else, all the other communities they have work to do,” said Lucius Robinson, who lives in the area.
The new shelter is planned for 303 Hale Street, across from the fairgrounds and down the street from an elementary school.
While locals want them to get the help they need, they worry about what comes with it.
Mario Windley, who lives nearby, said: “Now you’re going to open up another shelter, now they got a place to sleep. But what about, you know, a food bank nearby? What about medical? What about a place that, you know, if some of them are addicted to, you know, prescribed medicines, what are we doing here? What about counseling, just because they’re homeless, that shouldn’t be their last place.”
More than half of those inside are women and children. The center can only hold up to 120 at a time, and that depends on how many families are inside.
But the number may soon grow.
“We believe this is the next step of what the community needs,” said Raymer. “The need has gone beyond what we can do in this facility.”
The new shelter is also closer to community resources.
“We partner with over 20 nonprofits in the area,” he said. “A lot of them are actually over in the area we’re looking to move to.”
But some say it’s already an underserved community.
Windley said: “We are moving in people here that may or may not be embedded as far as criminal background, will the crime rate rise? You know, what about the local medical facilities here, would they be flooded with to a point where they can’t even take care of their normal clients? So those are my concerns for the community.”
The goal is to make the community better but some still question the best way to get there.
“We got kids that are in our program, that walk around here. We want to protect them,” he said.
The design for the new shelter will have wings for men, women, families and potentially veterans.
There is no set date for breaking ground just yet. The Salvation Army is currently working with the surrounding community on Hale Street for more input.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – People who live in South Augusta are raising concerns about the future of the Family Y on Tobacco Road.
Officials say the facility has been operating at a loss for years, and have had a low number of memberships. The location also has a new owner. The cost of the lease is too high and the facility is also in need of renovations, which are said to be costly.
“The reality is we couldn’t afford the current lease that we were in,” said Catie McCauley, president and CEO of Family Y of Greater Augusta. “Over the last 10 years we’ve been subsidizing this lot. So we got to look at a model that we can sustain for the next several generations not just the next couple years.”
The location is set to close in October, but officials say they are working with community members and contractors for a new building that they can move into and are committed to staying in South Augusta.
Photojournalist credit: Gary Hipps
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – SafeHomes Augusta is facing a funding shortfall after Georgia lawmakers vetoed millions in domestic violence funding.
The nonprofit is the only 24-hour domestic violence shelter in the area, serving 10 counties from Augusta to Burke County to Taliaferro.
It costs approximately $1 million to operate a 24-hour shelter that meets Georgia standards, but SafeHomes only receives $647,000 in funding.
Lawmakers vetoed $9.4 million in domestic violence funding and $3 million for sexual assault centers.
Executive Director Aimee Hall said staff is bracing for what comes next.
“I think we’ll still be able to provide services. It’s just going to be on a lower scale. And that’s my concern because there’s so many people who need our services. Last year we provided services to over 1,700 men, women, and children,” Hall said.
Hall said the concern is not just about budgets but about the people who depend on the shelter around the clock.
“We’re not a nonprofit that can close. Domestic violence don’t happen between 8:00 and 5:00,” she said.
Becky Halioua, a survivor who first made contact with SafeHomes in 2015, said the resource likely saved her life.
She said she has continued to share her story in hopes it can help others.
“Nobody starts a relationship saying, well, I can’t wait for this person to put their hands on me,” Halioua said. “Domestic violence really has no face. And I think it’s important for people to know that it affects everybody.”
She said the reality of leaving an abusive situation is something many people do not consider.
“Just imagine if you had to just uproot your entire life suddenly in, you know, maybe the middle of the night and leave with just the clothes on your back,” Halioua said.
Hall said the most important thing the community can do right now is show up. SafeHomes is actively seeking volunteers, and Hall said time is just as valuable as financial donations.
Anyone interested in volunteering or donating can contact SafeHomes Augusta directly at 706-736-2499.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A stabbing incident at an Augusta McDonald’s left one person hospitalized on Thursday morning, according to officials.
Richmond County deputies responded to the McDonald’s on the 1400 block of Walton Way for reports of a stabbing at 8:23 a.m.
Deputies learned the stabbing occurred after an individual confronted several people in the business’s parking lot, deputies say.
The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies say the suspect fled the scene on foot but was taken into custody a short time later by Road Patrol deputies.
The sheriff’s office says the incident remains under investigation.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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