Fireside Fund helps disabled veteran, families, senior couple
The recent cold snap has brought large numbers of clients to visit the Crisis Relief Ministry in the past few days.
Although we were closed a few days during Thanksgiving, clients have waited patiently for much-needed relief to keep their families warm.
We had a senior couple drive a half hour from Rembert to ask if we could help with propane. They heat their home with propane and have a 250-gallon tank in the yard. It costs so much to fill it completely that they have been concerned. I assured them we could help alleviate some of the financial burden where their Social Security incomes are not covering all of their necessities.
A disabled veteran in his late 50s asked us to help with kerosene. He has a meager income, and the cost of kerosene has become unaffordable for him. We were able to "bridge a gap" and provide kerosene for him to stay warm.
However, there are a number of families coming on a daily basis for help with electric bills. While only a portion of the electric bill actually accounts for heating, electricity is still the predominant way people heat their homes. You can imagine the anxiety of having a disconnection notice due on a cold day and not having all the money to cover it. The fear of cold is greater than the fear of darkness in these cases.
The needs are present before us, and the recent trends are pointing to big crowds daily, all seeking help in times of desperate need. Sumter United Ministries relishes the opportunity to share hope, to be "a light in darkness" as our slogan often gets repeated. We cannot do it without you! The Item has provided a terrific platform for you to help. If you can contribute, please do so and help keep your neighbors in need warm this winter. Thank you!
Kevin Howell is the director of the Crisis Relief Ministry.
ABOUT THE FIRESIDE FUND
Each winter since 1969, The Sumter Item has run a fundraiser to collect money from its readers to be donated entirely to Sumter United Ministries.
The faith-based nonprofit provides emergency and life-rebuilding services ranging from food, shelter and clothing to final notice bill pay, access to educational opportunities and a medical clinic. The Sumter Item recognizes and appreciates every ministry their staff and volunteers run, but the Fireside Fund was created to focus on one area that becomes critical for the next few months: heat.
Every penny donated will directly help people who live in Sumter by preventing heating services from being turned off, allowing access to propane or other heating sources and, when enough funding is available and the need is there, funding long-term housing fixes to make homes more efficient.
IN HONOR OF
Each year, The Item's leadership team picks a person who has recently passed away to which the year's campaign will be dedicated. The person honored is someone who made a positive impact in the community, whether through service or philanthropy, business or community leadership.
If you think about the impact the Rev. William Samuel Randolph imparted in terms of civic service, entrepreneurialism, faith leadership and human rights, he checked all the boxes.
The now-late uncle of current Sumter City Councilman James B. Blassingame moved to Sumter to attend Morris College. His legacy is as a pastor of First Baptist Missionary Church for 47 years, owner and operator of Randolph General Construction Co. and city councilman from 1987 to 2008, including mayor pro tempore for 19 of those years. His civil rights legacy is the 1961 S.C. Supreme Court case that, while he was arrested 11 times in the fight for racial equality, was pivotal in charges being dropped for several civil rights activists.
Randolph died Sept. 17 at the age of 88.
New donations as of Nov. 28: Boyle Bible Class / Trinity United Methodist Church, $100; Sharon Burik, $300; Dr. & Mrs. Radman M. Ali, $100; Church of the Ascension / ACW Ellen Ellerbe Chapter, $50; Aida T. Sikora, $150; Roosevelt & Naomi Swinton, in honor of my brother Benjamin Swinton, $50; Christmas Angel Gift in honor of Heather and Reed, $140; Christmas Angel Gift in honor of Dr. Linda McCombs, $20; Ernest A. Finney III, in memory of Rev. and Mrs. Randolph, $300; and Jim and Marsha Jones, in memory of Gene Patterson, $1,000.