Mount Pleasant, South Carolina – A Mount Pleasant church is getting ready for another winter by recruiting volunteers for its warming shelter program.
Interested volunteers learnt about the duties required during a volunteer orientation meeting at the church on Thursday night.
Leaders of Hibben United Methodist Church on Coleman Boulevard say they need at least 70 volunteers to open their doors every night.
Throughout the months of December and March, the shelter opens when evenings reach 34 degrees or lower.
Rev. Katie Brock Lesh, the church’s associate minister, has participated in the program for the past four years. She said the shelter is usually open seven to eight nights a year.
In response to the icy circumstances in January, organizers and volunteers provided the shelter for 21 nights.
Lesh said the initiative allows guests to enjoy the pleasure of safe and comfortable spaces.
“It is one of the most rewarding aspects of my ministry to be able to provide this for guests. Last year, we had someone who simply thanked us and expressed gratitude. They said, ‘This seems like home.’ We treat them well, and they return to us because they like what we offer.”
Winter warming shelters offer hot meals, hot baths, and a warm place to stay for people in need.
Organizers stated that it requires approximately 70 volunteers to open their doors each night.
