BY DEBBIE PAGE
Members of the Iredell Homeless Collaborative have started planning assistance for the county’s homeless and housing insecure population in the coming winter months and will offer holiday assistance to help low-income families.
SALVATION ARMY WINTER/HOLIDAY GIFT HELP
Salvation Army of Iredell County Lt. April McCormick announced the Angel Tree registration is open now through October 30 at SAAngelTree.org. In-person registration is open through October 10 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1361 Caldwell Street in Statesville. For more information, call 704-872-5623.
This program serves children through age 13.
Eligibility requirements include:
♦ A valid I.D. for parent/guardian.
♦ A birth certificate for children age 0-13.
♦ Proof of residence.
♦ Proof of all household income.
♦ Proof of all household expenses.
♦ Proof of any government assistance.
Plans are also underway for a warming center that will open in mid-December at the SA facility (1361 Caldwell Street). The organization welcomes donations of snacks for this effort.
McCormick also shared positive updates on the SA’s community services, including high attendance at the food pantry and clothing closet (both open Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
Community Lunch
The Salvation Army’s Community Lunch, featuring chili, is set for October 14.
Fall Festival
The agency’s Fall Festival is on October 25. McCormick requested that interested agency vendors can contact her at april.McCormick@uss.salvationarmy.org to sign up to decorate a table and hand out candy and resources.
SPD HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE
The Statesville Police Department is again conducting its annual “Fill the Trailer” toy drive for children from birth to age 17. This community initiative is dedicated to bringing holiday joy to children and families in need.
Each year, many families in the community face financial hardships, making it difficult to provide the gifts that make the season special. With the community’s support, the SPD can help spread cheer and make this holiday season brighter for those who need it most.
Referrals will be coming through Iredell-Statesville Schools Student Support Services and the Social Work Program.
Toy donation collection will begin on November 1 at the Pumpkin Fest Broad Street/Tradd Street entrance. The drive will continue on Saturdays on November 8, 15, and 22, and December 6 and 13 at the Statesville Walmart (1116 Crossroads Drive) from 12 to 4 p.m.
Donations can also be dropped off at the Statesville Police Department at 330 South Tradd Street through December 19 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you prefer to contribute via the online gift registry (available at https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/1INJSIX1JD54T?aiChecklistEnabled=false), items will be shipped to the SPD.
Gift suggestions include:
♦ Board games, puzzles, travel games, books
♦ Sports items (footballs, basketballs, soccer balls)
♦ Electronic handheld/portable games
♦ Manicure sets, hair & nail accessories, fragrance sets
♦ Hat & glove sets, scarves
♦ Art & craft supply sets, educational toys
♦ Remote control vehicles, toy cars, action figures, dolls
Please Note: Gift cards, monetary donations, clothing, stuffed animals, or food items cannot be accepted.
Pam Navey said the SPD drive will be serving every family affected by the Brookwood Inn closing, regardless of school referral.
Foe more information, contact Sgt. Shannon Humphrey at shumphrey@statesvillenc.net or call 704-902-9838 or contact Cpl. Chan Austin at caustin@statesvillenc.net or call at 704-878-3442.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MONTH
Navey said an uptick in domestic violence is the root cause of some of the community’s displaced or homeless individuals. Most on the street have experienced DV in the home at sometime in their lives.
Domestic Violence Walk
Navey invites DV survivors to a brief DV walk, luncheon, and program on October 15 at the Upper Room in Statesville from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Please wear purple, a symbol of peace, courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending violence during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and bring DV prevention/awareness signs..
The event will feature a brief walk around downtown and Statesville Mayor Costi Kutteh reading the 2025 Domestic Violence Proclamation. District Attorney Sarah Kirkman will share a few words, and My Sister’s House (a shelter for women & children survivors) staff will give local data of survivors’ reality. A DV survivor will also speak.
Purple Thursday
On “National Purple Thursday” on October 16, community members are asked to wear purple to help bring awareness to Domestic Violence in the workplace, school and community! (Share pictures on FB at #dvpeace25).
A free community awareness and resource fair will be held on October 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Broad Street United Methodist Church green space at 315 W. Broad St. This event is open to the public and designed to connect individuals and families with local resources, education, and hope.
This event will help reaffirm a shared community commitment to stand with survivors of domestic violence, which continues to impact families in Iredell County and often leaves survivors without safety, stability, or support.
At the event community members will find trusted support services for survivors, veterans, and families, and local nonprofits will offer guidance, healing, and pathways forward. There will also be opportunities for learning, sharing and mutual encouragement across the community.
For more information, contact organizers at contact@thePTSD.info.
Displays
During October, the “Empty Place at the Table” can be viewed at the Iredell County Public Library at 201 North Tradd Street in Statesville.
The Silent Witness will be on display at Mitchell Community College Student Union.
Domestic violence resources and information will be provided at the Iredell County Hall of Justice.
Need Help?
For help, call My Sister’s House for domestic violence and sexual assault information and resources for Iredell County at the 24-hour crisis line 704-872-3403.
BROOKWOOD UPDATE
Restoration Road Ministry Executive Director Rob Harris provided insights into upcoming outreach events and the challenges faced by homeless individuals, some of which are caused by an increasing number of domestic violence victims in the area.
RRM raised just under $34,000 to help the families displaced by the recent closing of the Brookwood Inn.
“We had to not only bridge temporarily, maybe at a motel, but also, get them into the apartments. Thankfully, all the families that we’re working with are housed, and we’re only looking at one potentially being bridged for another week or two,” said Harris.
One family is hopefully going into a house this week. Harris said working in conjunction with Fifth Street Ministries, Navey, and her team has been a big success in dealing with this crisis.
RRM is also working to get two Mooresville homeless persons to services and stable housing and to help two Statesville families, both domestic violence victims. The organization also helped Fairview Baptist Church provide assistance to another mother and family, another domestic violence survivor.
Harris reminded the community that other homeless families in the community still need help.
“If you look around, you’ll see families living in cars. If you have your eyes wide open, you’ll see them in Food Lion parking lot, you’ll see them at Walmart in Statesville and Mooresville, you’ll see at Big Lots.”
Navey said that Fifth Street Ministries originally had $35,000 set aside in their budget and then exceeded that with $5,000 to $6,000 remaining to serve two remaining families and meet any needs from families already in apartments or rental homes.
“We did the things that we had to do in August and September to get them stable as best we could, and now we’re going to make sure that they have access to the resources,” said Navey.
Pharos Parenting is providing families with parenting classes and Statesville Housing Authority is providing financial management classes.
“This community has stepped up and stepped out” to help these families, said Navey, who said families got two truckloads of donated household items recently to help them furnish their new homes. She will continue to follow up with all the former Brookwood families to meet any remaining needs.
Navey also thanked Yokefellow for its help to these families with food, clothing, and household items. She reminded the community that the Yokefellow food bank is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Thursdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m., and Fridays, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Navey said that she and Harris will be working on an executive summary of the Brookwood Inn response to inform the Fifth Street Board and community as well as to learn from the experience and use those lessons in any future crises.
United Way’s Sara Helmick thanked both agencies for their leadership in this crisis.
“You guys really have amazed folks with the Brookwood response, and I really just wanted to say thank you to everybody,” Helmick said. “Working together has been amazing to see in our community, and you all have made that an example. I cannot say that enough times or enough repeat, but thank you for all of that.”
Navey said that the crisis work will continue.
“I’m grateful for the community recognizing the crisis and coming together. I cannot tell you enough how many people, how many different churches say their eyes have been opened.”
“We’ve talked to several mission groups at churches, and they are committing continued work with the homeless and displaced population in Iredell County just by this being put out publicly. That’s good work for the community, and everybody in the collaborative had a part in that,” she added.
UPDATES
♦ Jesse Stroud of Southern Family Medicine said the agency offers medication assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorders, substance use and mental health counseling, psych meds, and hepatitis C testing and treatment. SFM’s collaborative care team will also connect people with other needed resources.
♦ After a couple of recent overdose deaths and especially one in homeless community, Foundation of Hope Ministry went out into the Southside camp areas and gave out 24 boxes of Narcan, as well as drinks, wipes, can openers, batteries, blankets, and socks as they visited the displaced people there. Executive Director Karen Kidd thanked the Drug-Alcohol Coalition (DACI) for always supporting and supplying Narcan for the community and for Executive Director Kristin Blumenstein conducting a NARCAN training for 29 volunteers that serve The Cove Church in Statesville and FOHM.
♦ Four FOHM board members recently completed certified peer support training.
♦ FOHM also got two people into recovery facilities. The organization also bought two bus tickets within the last week for two domestic violence victims and their children to get to relatives in Illinois and Louisiana. They also paid for one of the victims to stay for a week at a hotel in town.
♦ The SPD, FOHM, and other partners will be distributing coats, blankets, warm gear, food, and things for the homeless population and community members in need on November 8 at Alex Cooper Park.
♦ Also, FOHM, Goodwill, and Westminster Church of God are working together again this year with Prison Fellowship Angel Tree, for which they already have names of children with incarcerated parents coming in.
♦ FOHM and The Cove also gave out 687 hot meals in September and 287 food bags to those who are food insecure and street friends.