With the second night in a row of below freezing temperatures, homeless shelters are getting the word out that their doors are open for anyone who needs a place to stay.
That concern is even more real after 47-year-old Franklin Robinson was found Monday evening in an abandoned Mullins home. He had apparently frozen to death.
His brother told NewsChannel 15 Robinson became homeless about a year ago, after falling on hard times.
Street Reach Ministries is one of six places in Horry County that offers overnight shelter for the homeless. In the summer, the group houses about 40 or so men and women a night. During this deep freeze, they expect to at least double that.
John Miller is one of the people seeking refuge from the cold. "In the summer time I'm in a tent, which is not bad, but you can't be outside in a tent in this weather."
Starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, people began streaming in to sign up for an overnight bed at the shelter. The staff says each night as the temperatures drop, more and more people come. After only being open for an hour Tuesday, the staff said they had seen about 6-8 new faces. Those new faces mean less bed space.
"The fact that we've got not enough bed mats for everyone sleeping here, what we're doing is using the other resources. We have blankets and quilts and comforters," Executive Director Joy Hanner said.
Street Reach is asking for donations of either cash or things like blankets, soap, toilet paper, or food.
They're also hosting a cookie sale fundraiser at the mission Wednesday, December 8th at 12noon.
Here is a list of agencies in our area that help the homeless:
Horry County Soup Kitchens & Shelters
Coastal Rescue Mission
http://www.coastalrescuemission.org/
4350 Bryant Street Loris, SC
843-448-1352
Shelter for women with children, food pantry, thrift store
Helping Hand of Myrtle Beach
http://www.helpinghandofmyrtlebeach.org/
1411 Mr Joe White Avenue
Providing food, medications, housing and financial help
Promise Land Ministries http://www.mbchristianchurch.com/promiselandministries.htm
Galivants Ferry - 1786 Highway 29
Providing housing, food, counseling
Sea Haven
http://seahaveninc.com/
North Myrtle Beach - 505 9th Avenue North
Helping homeless youth
Street Reach Ministires
http://www.streetreachministries.org/
1018 North Oscela Dr.
Homeless shelter, soup kitchen, emergency food
Horry County Food Banks & Pantries
Caring and Sharing
http://www.caringandsharingonline.com/
124 West George Street Hemingway,SC
843-558-7966
Also serves Horry County Food bank, financial assistance
Coastal Rescue Mission http://www.coastalrescuemission.org/pantry.html
4350 Bryant Street Loris, SC
843-448-1352
Open the last Saturday of every month
Community Kitchen of Myrtle Beach http://www.communitykitchenmb.org/
1411 Mr Joe White Avenue
843-444-9383
Soup kitchen open 365 days a year
Lowcountry Food Bank
http://www.lowcountryfoodbank.org/>
Chefs' Feast http://www.lowcountryfoodbank.org/chefsfeast.asp
200 South Broadway
Provides food for 400 Lowcountry hunger-relief organizations
Horry County Affordable Housing Resources
Habitat for Humanity of Horry County
http://www.habitatmb.org/
Total Care for the Homeless Coalition
http://www.tchc-web.org/
TCHC Providing emergency, transitional and permanent housing
Pee Dee CAA Shelter
Pee Dee Community Action Agency
411 Jarrott Street
Florence, SC 29506
Phone:
(843) 678-3410
Area Rescue Mission Inc
1327 Olanta Highway
Effingham, SC 29541
Low Country Shelter Association
4825 S. Highway 41
Mullins, SC 29574
Phone Number: (803)771-4357
