Tri-City Hope Center seeing more recipients, needing more donations
If you’ve found yourself having a difficult time putting food on the table, there’s help at the Tri-City Hope Center in Newcastle. On the other hand, if you’ve found yourself blessed with resources and you would like to help a good cause, there’s the Tri-City Hope Center.
The Hope Center is a ministry and the creation of its Director Shannon Kowals. For those in need, the Hope Center’s shelves are lined with food, clothing and household items, all either purchased or donated by the help of caring individuals. But that’s not all.
They have a biblical mission to aid others in the McClain and Grady County areas who need help.
“Even though we meet the physical needs of those struggling in our community, our main task is to spread and show the love of Jesus Christ,” Kowals says. “Our commission from the Bible is to spread His word to the ends of the earth. We are made to serve God.”
Connie Childers, a volunteer of six years at the Hope Center, said there has never been more of a need. She said especially right now — they are averaging about 148 families per week. Childers said they are getting about 5-10 new people a week who are in need of food, clothing and other items.
“We do not receive any funds from the federal government, but we are seeing more people due to the economy and the government shutdown,” Childers said the Hope Center is a non-profit ministry to the people and they don’t turn anyone away for food. She adds that Kowals is “such a servant of God, and does all of this on faith,” even adding her own money donations to purchase food.
The Hope Center also relies on help from Oklahoma Human Services through their Emergency Assistance Program, which provides income eligibility guidelines based on the number of household members. Some of the food they purchase comes from this program, while other food comes from donations or from food that Kowals purchases for the program at Spencer’s Grocery in Blanchard.
The Hope Center is open to the public from 9-11:30 a.m. and then from 1-5 p.m. on Thursdays. Last Thursday at just around 1:30 p.m., the parking lot was full as volunteers accompanied individuals seeking help by pushing wheeled baskets filled with food and other items to the awaiting cars.
Inside the Hope Center is a front desk where those seeking help must fill out a card, show proof of residency, and determine if they meet the Emergency Assistance Program guidelines. If they do, they are able to work with a volunteer to fill their cart with the basics from the food pantry. A second food pantry area is filled with the purchases made by Kowals and from monetary donations. A selection of some of these items are available to all who come to the Hope Center.
FOOD PANTRY on page 3 “This is a way to supplement families in need,” Childers said, adding that many of those being helped may have been laid off from work, or they are senior citizens who can’t make it on their social security income.
FOODPANTRY: Help available for those who have beed laid off, senior citizens
The Hope Center also has a shopping area filled with donated clothes, housewares, personal hygiene items for the low-income clients.
Childers said the need to help in the area is very large and they are always in need of donated items. Specific items that are best to donate include money, non-perishable food, shampoo, conditioner, razors, toilet paper, deodorant, tooth brushes and tooth paste.
“People need the basics of life,” she said. Currently this includes gloves and hats. If no one is at the Hope Center, they have a donation shed on the left side of the building where donations can be dropped off.
This donation shed is open every day, seven days a week, except for the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Childers said she wants people to know that the Hope Center does need the public’s help “money-wise, donationwise, and volunteer-wise.” There also are several churches and groups in the community that donate by holding drives during the year for certain items.
Newcastle Public Schools recently donated socks to the Hope Center, and Shiloh Home School of Woodland Hills Church holds drives periodically.
Childers said, “If you would like to volunteer, just come in and introduce yourself. Fill out a form with your information, your interests and the hours that you are available.”
She said the Hope Center has a continual need for new financial donors, donations of non perishable food items, clothing, shoes, toys and household items.
Even when clothing donations go unused by their clients, it still has value.
Childers said, “The Tri-City Hope Center pays its rent, insurance and keeps the lights on by selling in bulk the excess donated items.”
Donations can be taken to 201 S. Main Street. Again, if no one is there, they can be dropped off at the shed. They need food, clothing, shoes, household items (but no furniture), towels, dishes, pan, decor items, linens, baby items, toys and hygiene items.
