By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer for Hire

Community Partners of Hope, operators of the local men’s homeless shelter currently located in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church in Henderson, have recently shared shelter updates with WIZS.

Shelter Updates:

Kaine Riggan, Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission director, is currently searching Henderson for a suitable space to meet the shelter’s long-term needs. Anyone with a suggestion for a location is asked to contact Riggan via email at kaineriggan@gmail.com.

Community Partners of Hope is excited to announce that a new fundraising portal has been created and can be viewed at https://www.youcaring.com/communitypartnersofhopehendersonmensshelter-1009964.

Donations are needed for day-to-day shelter operation expenses. The organization plans to begin a capital campaign once the new shelter location has been identified.

Shelter managers Darryl Jones and Kenny Blackwell have recently taken over the duty of scheduling meals and supervision. All meals for the rest of the season have been scheduled; however, the shelter is facing a shortage of male volunteers willing to work the welcome or the overnight shifts.

The shelter reports that there are paid staff on duty who can run the operation without the assistance of volunteers, but volunteers are essential in providing backup, especially in the case of an illness or emergency.

Volunteers are welcomed even if they can only commit to helping for one night. On-the-job training will be provided by a shelter manager or night manager. Interested volunteers should contact the shelter manager at (252) 820-0701. The shelter keeps an updated calendar on their website at www.cp-hope.org. The latest schedule is listed under the calendar tab.

Hope House Updates:

Four men from the shelter have recently moved into the Hope House-a transitional housing unit offering the next level of assistance to qualifying men.

In order to transition into the Hope House, men at the shelter must meet the following qualifications: demonstrate they can follow rules and live peacefully with others, have a job or be close to securing a job, pass a drug screening and have a mentor.

The Hope House is currently in need of male or female volunteers to mentor residents. Mentors are asked to:

• Maintain weekly contact with assigned resident-a minimum of one in-person meeting each month
• Encourage goal setting, both long-term and short-term
• Review goals and the steps taken to accomplish goals
• Be available to listen
• Inform the Mentor Coordinator of progress towards the completion of goals
• Should setbacks occur – inform the Mentor Coordinator immediately and provide resident’s plan to get back on track
• Communicate with the House Manager on issues that pertain to occupancy

Healthcare Initiative:

Thanks to a generous grant from the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, Community Partners of Hope is able to offer healthcare services to shelter occupants.

Monies will support CPOH Health Interventions, providing primary health care screening and treatment for homeless men through the emergency shelter and transitional house.

Treatment will focus on hypertension, high cholesterol, substance abuse, prostate issues and diabetes. Strategic partners in this initiative include:

• Chief Marcus Barrow, Henderson Police Department
• Brian Short, Henderson/Vance Emergency Services
• James Kenney, Beckford Medical Center
• Jeanne Harrison, Alliance Rehabilitative Care
• Lisa Harrison and Shauna Guthrie, Granville-Vance Health Department
• Krystal Harris, Vance County Department of Social Services
• Lori Giang, CEO/Executive Director and Nicole Banahene, Director of Partner Relations, NC MedAssist
• George Daye, Raemac Transportation

Community Partners of Hope staff will coordinate the care offered and maintain records to demonstrate that CPOH is having a measurable impact on the health of the community.