Thieves take homeless agency's trailer, leaving roving shelter stranded

Four families waiting for a warm bed and some much-needed support will have to hold out a little longer after a Family Promise of Beaufort County supply trailer was taken from the parking lot of a Bluffton church.

The nonprofit group, sponsored by 32 area churches and synagogues, helps homeless parents by teaching them financial independence and job-search skills and providing temporary shelter. The trailer, donated in August 2008 and worth about $2,400, was used by the group each week to transport beds, supplies and the personal belongings of participating families from one host site to the next.

The covered, white two-wheeled trailer and its contents -- two spare rollaway beds, three blow-up mattresses and bedding -- were taken sometime overnight Nov. 8-9from the Lowcountry Presbyterian Church fellowship hall parking lot at 10 Simmonsville Road, Beaufort County Sheriff's Office deputies said.

"It really puts us in a difficult situation because we don't have any transportation," said Emily Bugay, director of the Beaufort County nonprofit organization. "On top of that, the missing beds hurt us because of the four families on the waiting list. It came as a shock."

Family Promise can serve up to 14 people at a time. The program is hosting three families, including two babies and five children.

Today, the group will say goodbye to one family and welcome a new one -- a single mother, her 2-year-old and 1-month-old baby -- but cannot take anyone else from the swelling waiting list because of the missing supplies, Bugay said.

"We were just really grateful and humbled when someone was kind enough to donate it," Bugay said of the anonymous donor. "It's really disheartening that someone would take it. We hope to be able to raise some funds quickly and get back the beds so we can support more families."

Volunteers from participating congregations transport the trailer from one site to another and unload it each week. Two volunteers and three families were staying at the Lowcountry Presbyterian Church when the trailer -- secured with heavy chains to its hitch -- was taken from the grounds.

"The families and volunteers were in the church and they didn't hear a thing," said Diane Mikkelson, a church coordinator. "This is the sixth time we've hosted and we've never had a problem."

Deputies checked the surrounding area to try and locate the missing trailer, but the search did not turn anything up.

Mikkelson said volunteers were still looking for a way to move the beds and supplies to the next host site this Sunday.

"It's a setback because it's money that get taken away from the program," she said. "We've just spent the past week trying to figure out what to do."

CONTACT INFO BOX:

Family Promise of Beaufort County headquarters: 164 Bluffton Road, Bluffton

To help or donate, call director Emily Bugay at 843-815-4211

On the Web: www.familypromisebeaufortcountysc.com