In the United States of America, there are around 582,462 people who are experiencing homelessness. Over 2,000 of those people are in Delaware. According to Delaware Public Media, this is twice as many unhoused persons as in 2020. This dramatic increase has multiple causes, from the Covid-19 pandemic to unaffordable housing. Providing support and services to those affected by homelessness is one of the main goals we have here at The Samaritan Place of Restoration.
We partnered with People’s Church of Dover, a Code Purple men’s sanctuary, in March to assist the unhoused men of Dover. Temporary housing is available at the Sanctuary from December to March. As many of these men returned to the streets, it was important for us to provide them with support. Our volunteers collected warm clothing, toiletries, and non-perishable food items for Blessing Bags. We filled 50 Blessing Bags with items such as gloves, toothbrushes, canned goods, and more with their help. Samaritan Place volunteers took the bags to People's Church on March 31st. While there, we spoke to those involved to better understand the mission and its effects. We asked the affected men about their lives and how we could better support them in the future. We also asked People's Church volunteers about their connection to the ministry. It was a pleasure to partner with People's Church. Hopefully, we can continue to collaborate in the future and make a difference. Check out our latest video to see the impact we were able to make. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss out on our ministry updates.
If you or someone you know is struggling with homelessness in Delaware, check out these resources: PATH, DE Homeless Information.