Local nonprofit organizations make changes due to COVID-19

JACKSON, Tenn. — “We just cannot afford for anybody to get sick,” said Susan Smith.

Smith is the director of client services for the Dream Center in Jackson.

The Dream Center is a faith-based educational ministry that provides shelter for women and children.

“We’re not receiving donations and the ladies aren’t allowed to go out and roam around because we’ve had to put everything on total lock down,” said Smith.

Smith says several of the women they serve work in factories that have been shut down due to COVID-19, and with kids not in school, their family homes are packed.

“For anybody to get sick the odds are, as much communal living we have in our scenario, that other people would get sick,” explained Smith.

“We’re operating with minimal hours in our main office. We’re not allowing anyone to come into our building other than our staff,” said Michael Roby.

Roby is the director of Area Relief Ministries. Its “Room in the Inn” program helps give shelter to men in the Hub City.

“Our guys need somewhere to stay. A lot of things are not open; the libraries, places that they frequent. So we’re considering extending a little bit longer the program of “Room in the Inn”,” Roby shared.

Roby says First United Methodist Church in downtown Jackson allows the organization to host the men and other area churches provide food.

The organization is taking every precaution to keep all people involved safe.

“Having minimal contact with gloves and masks and all that good stuff and having the guys practicing social distancing as well as possible,” said Roby.

While the Dream Center is not taking donations at this time, there are making exceptions for critical items such as toilet paper, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes.

If you want to help pay for food at “Room in the Inn”, it costs roughly $100 to feed the men each night and morning.  To volunteer, you can call (731) 234-5642.