Food for the Soul opened the doors Thursday, April 30, on newly renovated shelter rooms that are already giving residents more privacy, storage and stability as they work toward permanent housing.
The Camden nonprofit hosted a grand opening for the renovated space, which was funded through a $60,000 grant awarded earlier this year by the Kershaw County Housing Authority. The grant was announced in January to support the construction of four transitional rooms inside Food for the Soul’s existing shelter — two for men and two for women — along with safety and space improvements.
For Food for the Soul Executive Director Tina Griggs, the finished rooms represent more than new walls, beds and furniture.
“We are so proud,” Griggs told those gathered for the opening. “This has been a lot of work. If you have seen the before pictures, you will realize that it has taken a lot to get it to this point.”
During tours of the renovated areas, visitors saw updated sleeping spaces with bedside tables, lamps with built-in plugs, bulletin boards, new linens, storage areas, mini-refrigerators and a layout designed to give residents more personal space. The men’s and women’s areas have slightly different configurations, but both were designed to provide the same sense of privacy and order.
The project also added new cabinets for hygiene items, towels and other supplies, along with an improved pantry area and additional storage for donated food.
The rooms are already occupied, Griggs said.
Archie Todd, chairman of the Kershaw County Housing Authority, said the project grew out of conversations with Food for the Soul leaders about what could be done to improve the shelter’s transitional housing space.
“What an honor to be part of this renovation and this project,” Todd said. “It started actually a few months ago when Tim and Tina and Mark Quigley and I met and started talking about what possibly could be done down here.”
Todd said Food for the Soul staff developed the layout and plan for the renovation, while the Housing Authority helped provide funding to make the work possible. He said the authority has provided about $350,000 in assistance across Kershaw County since COVID-19, with this project accounting for about $60,000 of that work.
“It’s just amazing to me to come down here and see this building before and this building after,” Todd said. “It’s just absolutely stunning.”
The renovation follows the Housing Authority’s January grant award, which was intended to help Food for the Soul bridge the gap between emergency shelter and permanent housing. At the time, Griggs said the transitional rooms would help residents who are working, saving money and making progress but still need a stable place to stay before moving into permanent housing.
That purpose was reflected in remarks from Mr. Terry, a Food for the Soul resident who spoke during the grand opening.
Mr. Terry said he first came to Food for the Soul, left briefly and was later encouraged by Griggs to return when she saw him at Walmart and learned he still did not have a place to stay.
“She said, ‘You need to come on back so you can continue your journey,’” Mr. Terry said. “So me and my son, we came back.”
Since then, he said, Food for the Soul has provided a place to stay and a way to keep moving forward.
“They’ve been helping us, providing us a place to stay, and we’ve been enjoying every moment of it,” he said. “And at the same time, to keep myself busy, I help out every chance I get.”
Mr. Terry said he is also working with the Veterans Administration as he continues toward housing.
“It’s just a blessing just to be here, to give back,” he said.
Griggs said residents have been part of the work, too. Through a work grant developed with Lee McElveen, some residents are able to help around Food for the Soul while earning money.
“They played a big role in helping with all the activities and the things,” Griggs said. “So they’re invested too. They’re definitely invested.”
Camden Mayor Vincent Sheheen and S.C. Sen. Jeffrey Graham also attended the grand opening, both pointing to the importance of partnerships in addressing local housing needs.
Graham said the project reflects what can happen when community partners stay connected and work together on local challenges.
“We talk about our issues, we talk about our challenges, find ways and solutions,” Graham said. “And we can see a solution to some of the challenges that we have here in this facility.”
Sheheen said he has watched Food for the Soul grow over many years and praised the people who have helped make the organization’s work possible.
“I like to hang out with doers, not talkers, and that’s why I’m here, because I’m in a room full of doers,” Sheheen said.
Griggs used much of the program to recognize Food for the Soul’s board, staff, volunteers and donors, saying the renovation was made possible by many people giving time, labor, funding and support. She also recognized the organization’s shelter staff, kitchen staff, case management, outreach, social media support, safety management and board members.
Food for the Soul operates a 24/7 emergency shelter in Camden and provides food distribution and support services for people experiencing homelessness because of economic hardship, mental health challenges, domestic violence and other crises. The organization serves an average of 25 to 30 residents per day and distributes thousands of meals each month, according to the January grant announcement.
Griggs said the organization continues to rely on community support. She also reminded attendees that Celebrate the Soul, Food for the Soul’s major fundraiser, is coming up in September.
For now, the newly renovated rooms are already serving their purpose: giving residents a cleaner, safer and more private place to rest while they work toward what comes next.
“It’s incredible in this short period of time,” one visitor said during the tour. “The difference it made.”
