‘Definite need for it’: Bethel UMC men’s shelter in Rock Hill opens doors year-round
The men’s shelter at Bethel United Methodist Church in Rock Hill is now open all year.
Formally a warming center during the winter, Bethel UMC now hosts a shelter for men 18 and older to come for food and a safe place to sleep each night, said Richard Murr, chair of the shelter committee.
The shelter opens at 6 p.m. nightly and provides a warm meal, a shower and a bed to men in need.
For more than a decade, Bethel UMC was a men’s warming center from November to April. The center also partnered with other churches to provide overflow space as needed, Murr said.
“We made the decision this year not to close on April 1 but to remain open year-round,” he said.
The shelter’s decision fits a desire to provide access to crisis assistance in Rock Hill, Murr said. The new Pathways Community Center brings together organizations such as Renew Our Community in one place.
“The timing was right with all these other community agencies coming together,” he said. “There’s a definite need for it.”
This past season, the warming center served 140 men, Murr said.
Murr said Bethel UMC provides transportation for men from ROC’s current location to the shelter. Once Rock Hill’s My Ride free bus system is up and running, there will be a bus stop at Bethel, he said.
Murr said the shelter holds about 35 beds. During the winter, he said the shelter will continue to partner with other churches to provide more beds to men in need.
On Tuesday, volunteers with Publix helped renovate the shelter and add more bed space, Murr said. The city of Rock Hill is donating bunk beds to Bethel, which will expand the shelter’s capacity to about 45 beds.
The plan is to have an on-site social worker to help the men with their next steps, Murr said.
The shelter needs volunteers, and monetary and meal donations, Murr said. Other items needed include cleaning supplies, cots and deodorant.
To volunteer or make a donation, email menswarmingcenter@gmail.com. Monetary donations can be made on the center’s website.
This story was originally published April 3, 2019 at 1:43 PM.
