BEDFORD – Homelessness is an issue that affects many individuals throughout the United States and the World, but a fairly new program from the First Baptist Church in Bedford is focused on doing their part locally.
Supporting People in Need – or SPIN – opened their doors on April 12th of 2021 after Heather Beasley, founder of SPIN, noticed a gap in potential services for community members in need.
“We were inspired to start this program after seeing what the Men’s Warming shelter has done for Lawrence county for those who were in need of services,” Beasley said. “We opened our doors after we noticed that there were needs that were not being met and we tried to focus on helping all members in the community, not just the men.”
The Men’s Warming Shelter helps during the winter months for those who would be left out in the cold, but the services close during the Summer season, leaving many in the community without any help.
“We were noticing that many individuals still needed help throughout the year, and it included many things such as food, water or even a shower or to wash their clothes,” said Beasley. “Some of these people may have a home, but they have no heat or air conditioning, they may not have electricity, running water or even a bed. We wanted to focus in on all of that.”
First Baptist Church offers these services Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. with volunteers on hand to help any way they can.
“We have volunteers who are willing to go out and help fix what they can for those who need the help. They go to yard sales and look for items that may help an individual such as a mattress or clothing for a job interview,” said Beasley. “The best thing that comes from our volunteers isn’t just their ability to go out and help those who need it, but they also focus on making a connection to those who come by.
Volunteering can be done by anyone who is willing to serve, but building on each other and helping when possible, can be the most gratifying.
“Dr. James Comer said it best ‘No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship’ and we have that with our volunteers,” Beasley said. “We are always looking for more people to volunteer and help mentor these individuals, if we can we will do our best to help them with their needs.”
To find out more about this program contact Heather Beasley at 812-797-2057.
