Eastern Star chapter makes donations for homeless
Published 12:10 am Monday, September 21, 2015
- Pictured are (left to right): Members of Rockwell Chapter 317, Order of The Eastern Star, Belinda Corl-Worthy Matron, Sally Miller, Helen Lentz– Grand Conductress of North Carolina, Carolyn Heilig, Kyna Grubb of Rowan Helping Ministries, Ray Scott - Worthy Patron, Shirley Cranford and June Scott.
Food and flip-flops were the theme for an in-kind donation made recently by the Rockwell Order of the Eastern Star No. 317 (17th District) to Rowan Helping Ministries’ Shelter.
Eastern Star representatives brought in 340 pounds of canned food for the food pantry and a large bag full of flip-flops for shelter guests to use when they shower. About 1,700 individual cans or pairs of flip-flops were donated for neighbors in need.
Members of the Rockwell Order of the Eastern Star are no strangers to Rowan Helping Ministries. They donate food, clothing and other items several times each year.
“We try to help out every year in supporting Rowan Helping Ministries, knowing that they are helping the people of Rowan County,” said Worthy Matron Belinda Corl. “We do what we can to help out our local citizens. We have several projects during the year for Rowan Helping Ministries.”
The group also helps families at Thanksgiving and Christmas, donates to Faithful Friends, Happy Farms, the animal shelter, Ronald McDonald House and several other organizations.
Kyna Grubb, executive director, said donations make all the difference at Rowan Helping Ministries.
“We are very grateful for this donation because our budget does not allow us to purchase flip-flops and our funds for food purchases are limited,” Grubb said. “We depend on community donations for 97 percent of the food we serve in Jeannie’s Kitchen and distribute through the Food Pantry. We depend on donations for linens, towels and items like soap, shampoo and flip-flops that our shelter guests use.”
The shelter at the Robertson-Stanback Center opened in May 2014 and can serve up to about 100 overnight guests. The shelter provides temporary housing, meals and related services to those who have no alternative nighttime residence. Shelter guests who stay more than three nights must work with staff to develop and implement a plan for becoming self sufficient. Rowan Helping Ministries’ New Tomorrows Program provides to shelter guests practical life skills, work skills, financial management classes and other experiences designed to help them create positive change in their lives.
