The Samaritan House of Orangeburg officially reopened its doors with the same purpose of serving the less fortunate in the area.
“This is a great day in the City of Orangeburg,” Mayor Michael Butler said.
Butler, the Samaritan House trustees and others celebrated the re-opening of the homeless transition facility during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in September.
The Middleton Street facility closed its doors in 2016 due to a lack of funding. Consistent efforts to reopen the facility began in 2019, led by Butler, board Chairwoman Brenda Jamerson and board Vice Chair Brenda Williams, among many others.
“When the Samaritan House closed its doors a few years ago, it opened opportunity for us to see how we can unite to return the facility and oasis of comfort for those who are less fortunate,” Butler said.
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Jamerson detailed the issues the board faced in trying to reopen the facility.
“A major issue that had to be resolved first was the impending foreclosure. Also, due to the closure in 2016, the building had experienced some deterioration and had been vandalized several times. Windows were damaged or destroyed, and needed replacing. Appliances, the truck and the air conditioning units were stolen. There were roof, plumbing and electrical issues, and the building’s furniture and beddings were covered in mildew,” Jamerson stated.
The board set a goal to raise $300,000 by August 2019. It met that goal.
The board informed the public that an additional $100,000 was needed to reach their $400,000 goal for operational funding. Those funds were successfully raised.
In December 2019, the board announced that the facility was scheduled to open in June 2019, but the coronavirus pandemic caused a delay in plans and impacted financial contributions, Jamerson said.
On July 6, 2019, the board implemented a 60-day stimulus donation campaign. The campaign raised $80,000, surpassing the board’s $50,000 goal.
Jamerson noted that all of the funding has been provided by local entities and governments. The organization has not received any federal funding.
Orangeburg County Council provided $92,750 and has allocated $36,337 in the fiscal year 2020-2021 budget. The Orangeburg County Legislative Delegation has provided $60,866.49, and the City of Orangeburg has provided $170,000.
Board members Karen Tourville and Jerry French detailed a few of the many people, businesses and other groups that donated and provided services that were instrumental in the re-opening of the facility.
Tourville thanked the American Business Women's Association EmpowerHer Chapter for its work, Trinity United Methodist Church Bible Study/Mother’s & Daughters in Christ for decorations, St. Andrews Church for kitchenware, Orangeburg Cash & Carry for paper towels and Cornerstone Church for paying for the mattresses in the women’s wing of the building.
French thanked O’Cain Construction for handling the majority of the electrical and plumbing work; ServPro for handling the removal of mold and mildew and cleaning the building; the Wannamaker Agency Inc. and Robert Bryant & Son for ensuring the facility is properly insured and Allied Air for donating the heating and air-conditioning units.
“This is no small feat here. It took determination, it took will power, it took strength, commitment to move from hope to reality. It was done with enthusiasm and with passion. In essence, the re-opening of the Samaritan House is an enduring example of what can be accomplished when a community comes together and addresses a significant need,” Butler said.
During its first few months of operations, the Samaritan House continued to see an outpouring of support from the community through donations and monetary gifts.
The house has received a 2012 Chevrolet quad cab pickup truck from Dominion Energy; a riding lawnmower from Husqvarna; a commercial, upright freezer from Chick-fil-A; another freezer donated by Jamison Pharmacy, and a third freezer donated by Diane Ferrier of Orangeburg.
Also, Dempsey Wood Products donated two picnic tables and three lawn chairs. Someone even donated a bicycle, which residents use for trips to the store.
Samaritan House Executive Director Henry Miller said he and the staff are committed to changing the lives of those housed at the facility.
In addition to providing food and shelter, the Samaritan House will focus on providing services that will make the occupants productive citizens.
For more information on donating and volunteering, visit the Samaritan House website, https://samaritanhouseorangeburgsc.org/, or call 803-809-1090.
