With the county on the sidelines, Beaufort charities offer safe havens against the freeze
As the cold front spreads its way across the eastern states and dips down to chill Beaufort County, local temperatures are expected to drop as low as 21 degrees during the weekend nights. In states where the freezes are more common, city and county governments often provide safe places for people to stay with protections from the frigid conditions. The population using these centers are often the homeless, families living their cars or people who have unexpectedly lost heat in their apartments or houses.
As of Thursday night, neither Beaufort County nor its towns and cities offer government run safe havens from the bitter and sometimes life-threating temperatures. Instead, this responsibility is left to faith-based and community organizations to provide assistance including a safe, warm cot and hot meal.
Who is helping?
Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Ladys Island Dr., will take in anyone looking for a save haven from the cold on Friday and Saturday, with Sunday depending on the weather. The church’s threshold for hosting the warm shelter is 32 degrees.
“It’s not just a homeless situation,” “Anybody, that all of a sudden lost heat, they’re more than welcome to come in, “ said John Murrie, one of the organizers for the shelter. He and the team of volunteers expect their capacity to be somewhere around 36 people. The church will provide breakfast and dinner to anyone who shows up.
Reverend John Dortch of Circle Of Hope Ministries will use a van to pickup people who would have a hard time getting to the Sea Island Presbyterian, according to Murrie.
The church experienced “overwhelming” local support since announcing they would be providing some shelter from the cold. As of Thursday afternoon, no additional volunteers or supplies are needed. There will be up 24 volunteers at the church to assist in keeping the shelter running.
Beaufort County offered assistance by sending out a email release about the shelter.
“The county generally doesn’t do this (shelter) service,” said. Ana Ramirez Outreach Specialist for the County’s Human Services Department. “We felt it was important to support a community organization that was putting this together. To spread the word is mainly why we did a release.”
“So the idea is, is getting that word out now, early enough to where if people know of [people in need], they can maybe make arrangements to get them to get them over here,” Murrie said.
Bluffton’s MLK group offers a solution
In Bluffton, the MLK Observance Committee will hold a warming center at the Rotary Community Center in Oscar Frazier Park, located at 77 Shults Road. The shelter will be open from 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. Friday night and 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Organizers are asking for volunteers donations.
The following is needed:
- five sleeping bags
- blankets
- socks
- mittens
- gloves
- skullies
- hand warmers
- thermal long johns
- coffee
- hot cocoa
- danishes
- pastries
- individually bagged chips
- breakfast sandwiches
- dinner donations
- prepared food in aluminum pans
Volunteers can sign up for four shifts:
- 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
- 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.
- 6 a.m to 9 a.m.
Contact Bridgette Fraizer (843) 816-9671 or Aaron Jenkins (843) 384-8936
This story was originally published January 18, 2024 at 7:34 PM.
