Sumter United Ministries clothes Bishopville seniors displaced by storm
It was a beautiful day in a Bishopville neighborhood until it was not for a group of residents living in a senior home facility that got pummeled by a storm.
Sumter United Ministries recently received a call asking to provide clothing for residents who were displaced and relocated to facilities with space in Sumter. The nonprofit was able to help because it receives funding and donations from the community - it does not get state or federal support - through efforts such as The Sumter Item's Summer of Caring, where we are asking readers to donate financially to the group's cause. Now in the sixth year, the fundraiser helps SUM provide emergency shelter, clothing, food and financial support while also offering education and medical assistance.
We raised nearly $6,500 last year, and the Sumter community has donated $30,000 since 2014 to help neighbors in need. After a slow start this year, donations last week totaled the most this year so far.
These financial contributions help SUM in everything it does, including with the unexpected relocation of Bishopville seniors.
"Five seniors had moved down from Bishopville into the Green senior living facility, and they had lost all of their belongings in the storm," said Bill Langford, in-kind coordinator for SUM. "We made arrangements to have the director of the Green facility come to SUM and get some clothing for those displaced folks."
It was a beautiful day with new neighbors that could have not been.
SUM is not usually open for assistance on Fridays, but the ministry's staff opened the doors for "our friends up north." Because they are closed on Fridays, there were no volunteers to help gather the clothing, and SUM is heavily reliant on its volunteers.
God showed up, Langford said.
"As it turns out, there was a group of youth led by Jennifer Cockrill from Lakewood Baptist Church coming for a tour and to see how they might get connected with our ministry at SUM," he said. "What a great day. The need came in, and the ability to fill that need came in at the same time. Our friends from Lakewood Baptist Church rolled up their sleeves and jumped in to help and were able to serve our friends from Green's senior facility.
"That is what Sumter United Ministries does. We are there to help people from Sumter meet the needs of anyone who needs assistance. Anyone who needs a helping hand."
Donations last week through Monday, Aug. 19, 2019, include: anonymously, $50; Mrs. William T. Noonan, $50; Nancy and Jerry Baak, $100; Dr. and Mrs. Gilbert E. Parker Jr., in memory of Gilbert E. Parker, $250; Charlie Pitts, in honor of Heather Paul, $25; Crosspoint Baptist Church WMU, $50; Sue and Chuck Fienning, in loving memory of Henry Charles Fienning, $500; Charlie Pitts, in honor of Buck Jackson, $25; and Charlie Pitts, in honor of Kipper Ackerman, $25.