Homelessness and coronavirus: York County nonprofits see greater need. How to help
Rev. Ronal King began his particularly busy week cutting paper.
King, founder of Feed the Hungry, a nonprofit organization started in 1974 that helps serve the homeless in York County’s, spent the rainy Monday morning buying construction bags, he said, and cutting out armholes and neckholes to make raincoats.
He and volunteers also bought tarps so those who need them could build makeshift shelters. They bought over-the-counter medication, like Alka-Seltzer. They gave out chicken noodle soup to keep those they help warm and fed.
They’re doing what they’ve done for decades.
The difference this week? Feed The Hungry, like the many institutions that interact with the area’s homeless, is feeling the effect of the coronavirus threat. Some regular volunteers are choosing to stay home. Some stores that help those in need are closing. Some shelters aren’t accepting new families right now.
And some still-open assistance centers are noticing an uptick in people needing help.
“The homeless have issues, true,” King said. “But the issue is not coronavirus. The issue is trying to get them into a shelter, and trying to get them into Pathways, so that they could get some further help.”
Homeless shelters and assistance programs in the York County region typically face high demand. Coronavirus exacerbates that need.
Pathways Community Center
Pathways Community Center director Grace Lewis told The Herald last week that she’d noticed an uptick in Pathway’s day center, a safe for those who need it from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
“What happened was, the library closed, and now the dine-in places are closing, and stores are closing and Walmart has cut back its hours — these are places where our homeless folks also go during the day,” Lewis said. “Some folks come to the Day Center every day; some come to it one or two days a week and then they go to the library one or two days a week.
“So when those facilities start closing, our assistance picks up back here.”
Lewis said the center has opened its overflow room to help with the increase in people using the Day Center. And even though all volunteers stopped working, Lewis said the center is manageable.
Lewis said the center has benefited from the fact that utility companies are not supposed to do any cutoffs during the coronavirus.
“Some of our folks have a home and for reasons come to the Day Center during the day — they could be very low wealth, low income, sometimes wanting to save money on their energy bills,” Lewis said. “We asked some of those people to go home and shelter in place.”
Lewis said the center has been receiving much-needed donations the past two weeks, and that the center is emphasizing the importance of washing hands, getting temperatures checked and wearing gloves/masks as necessary.
“The population back there, you know, they worry,” Lewis said. “They worry that they may come up to the door and see a sign on it that says, ‘We’re closed due to the virus.’”
Monetary donations for Pathways can be made on the organization’s website.
United Way
Residents can find resources through United Way’s 2-1-1 program. The online database lists coronavirus information, health resources, services for families and financial help. People who have been impacted by COVID-19 should complete an online survey for specific assistance. Residents also can call 866-892-9211 for help.
United Way of York County has started an online list of resources for meals, utilities, health services and shelters. Residents can support United Way through online monetary donations.
Homeless shelters
Coronavirus concerns have closed schools and forced restaurants to switch to curbside pickup and delivery. That has led to concerns of people losing their jobs and seeing a decrease in income.
It’s a reality that could mean area homeless shelters see more demand, said Emily Sutton, pastor at Bethel United Methodist Church in Rock Hill. The Bethel Men’s Shelter provides a bed, meal and hot shower to homeless men each night.
“We’re expecting more people to be homeless moving forward,” Sutton said. “The need for shelter is going to increase.”
Homeless shelters are exempt from protocols limiting large gatherings, but are encouraged to follow safe space rules and proper hygiene, said Richard Murr, spokesperson for the Bethel shelter.
Bethel currently has 37 beds at their main location and another 26 in an overflow location, Sutton said.
Bethel’s overflow normally would close April 6, but shelter leaders hope to raise money to keep the extra beds available longer, Murr said.
Bethel employees have increased sanitation practices at the shelter and are screening men for fevers above 100.4 degrees, cough or shortness of breath before allowing them in, Sutton said.
Men who have those symptoms will be expected to see a physician before coming to the shelter. Since the screenings began last week, the shelter has not had to turn away any men, Sutton said.
Residents can help the Bethel Men’s Shelter by donating online or signing up to provide meals, to go containers, plastic utensils and other items. Volunteers also are needed to help wash bath towels, Murr said.
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At the Haven men’s shelter, in the Pathways Community Center, all 24 beds are full and a waiting list is ongoing, said Kendall Johnson, operations director. With coronavirus concerns, the shelter is getting calls multiple times a day, she said.
Johnson said the Haven needs donations of toilet paper, cleaning supplies, face masks and food. People also can support the Haven with online monetary donations.
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Family Promise of York County, which provides meals and shelter for families in need, has stopped accepting new families through at least April 5, according to a statement on the organization’s website. The organization also has postponed its spring sale to May 1 and 2.
Family Promise also has put on hold their program of using local churches to provide shelter and meals for homeless families through at least April 5, according to the statement. Those families will instead be sheltered at Family Promise’s fresh start shelter.
Community members can support Family Promise by donating funds or supplies related to cleaning, sanitation and infant care, according to the website. Non-perishable food items also are needed.
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Tender Hearts Ministries in York closed the thrift store until at least March 30, according to a statement from the organization. The homeless shelter remains open but is not taking new clients.
While supplies last, Tender Hearts will continue delivering donated items to those in need, the statement says. Residents can support the ministry with online monetary donations.
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Pilgrim’s Inn in Rock Hill assists people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The organization needs donations of face masks, hand sanitizer, clorox wipes and spray, water, paper towels, toilet paper, diapers size 4 and 5 and single-ingredient baby formula. Ordered donations can be mailed to 236 West Main St., Rock Hill, S.C. 29730, according to the Pilgrim’s Inn Facebook page. Monetary donations can be made on the website.
The Pilgrim’s Inn childcare center is closed. The food pantry is still open with limited volunteers, according to the organization’s Facebook page. Residents who need items are asked to drive to the side pantry door.
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The Center of Hope, a women’s shelter in Chester focused on addiction recovery, is currently not accepting new residents, said Kim Sconyers, administrator for the organization. Many of the shelter’s residents come from in-patient drug and alcohol facilities, Sconyers said Monday in an e-mail to The Herald.
Center of Hope has stopped much of its programming and employees are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Sconyers said. Residents can support the shelter with online monetary donations.
“We continue to meet all essential needs and appointments but mostly the women are sticking close to home,” Sconyers said in the e-mail.
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The Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen in Rock Hill is serving grab and go lunches for people in need. The kitchen serves guests from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Residents can support the kitchen with online monetary donations.
Law enforcement
Lieutenant Michael Chavis of the Rock Hill Police Department said he’s fielded questions about how COVID-19 has affected the work police officers do.
And his answer remains the same, including when it comes to how the police interact with homeless populations.
“We provide public safety services, and we’re going to provide them no matter what,” Chavis told The Herald. “We’re providing (the officers) with the PPE and the training and guidance to combat the spread of the disease and be sanitary and stay healthy. But even talking about the homeless, it’s not going to directly impact what we do.”
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 9:34 AM.
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