Community Partners of Hope is reaching out this holiday season to ask for donations to provide to the men who come for respite and a warm night’s sleep at the men’s shelter.

The shelter needs snack items like breakfast bars, single-serving sizes of snacks, chips and other individually wrapped cakes and cookies, as well as cases of bottled water, tea or sodas, preferably 12-ounce cans or bottles.

Other favorites include Pop-Tarts, tins of Vienna sausage and fruit cups.

In addition to the food items, the shelter needs paper towels, tall kitchen trash bags (13-gallon size) Clorox cleanup spray, laundry detergent (pods, please) and extra-large black garbage bags (39+-gallon size).

“For some reason we are not receiving as many supply donations as we have in the past and it’s a struggle for our shelter managers,” according to a newsletter from the Community Partners of Hope.

Donations may be dropped off at First Presbyterian Church Monday-Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or call 252.432.9494 to arrange a drop-off time. Cases of bottled water may be left outside the shelter, but other items should be received by someone at the church during the designated times.

The shelter currently has enough hand sanitizer, toiletries, toothbrushes and toothpaste on hand to share with the men, and they have plenty of bedding. Shelter staff are not accepting used clothing or food that needs to be heated.

There are opportunities for providing meals to the men who come to the shelter. To learn more, click THIS LINK.

The local men’s shelter has gotten the green light to open its doors for an extra month, putting the group a step closer to realizing its dream of being open year-round for those in need.

The shelter, based at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Henderson, is an outreach of Community Partners of Hope.

In previous years, the shelter was open from November through March, with the hope of being able to expand services and there is a campaign underway now to raise the $133,225 needed to make the dream a reality. To date, more than $15,000  has been raised.

Visit the Dream Team Fundraiser Link Here.  

Information in the recent CPOH newsletter stated that Darryl Jones will continue as shelter manager and Josh Stokes will manage weekend duties, but the shelter continues to need volunteers to partner with paid staff to keep things running smoothly. The group is looking at the possibility of adding another paid overnight supervisor.

Community Network Specialist Delthine Watson is pursuing grant opportunities, as well as possible collaboration with other agencies and partners. Watson is available to speak to church and civic groups to share the mission and vision of CPOH. Contact her at specialist.cpoh@gmail.com or 919.339.1462 to learn more.

The newest staff member at Community Partners of Hope, Inc. of Henderson, may be new to the job, but she certainly is not new to the community. Delthine Watson has lived and worked in Vance County for the past 25 years, and she brings a passion for the local outreach ministry to the newly created position.

Watson, a native of Warren County, is the community network specialist for CPOH. The position is designed to help the organization expand services and outreach to homeless men in the community. Watson said she wants to take things to a new level. “I want to be instrumental in improving my community,” she said in a press release to WIZS News.

CPOH Volunteer Coordinator Jane King said, “Watson has supported our ministry for many years volunteering wherever needed and organizing her church to supply meals on a regular basis. She has a heart for service to go along with her experience in helping people navigate hard times.”

Watson understands the challenges of communities with limited resources, said Pastor Joseph Ratliff of Shiloh Baptist Church. “Yet, she knows local, state, and federal possibilities for additional resources,” Ratliff said.

Pastor Matthew Copple of First Presbyterian Church explains that CPOH’s decision to form this new role speaks loudly about the organization’s priority to expand its reach to the men it serves and the community at large. “Her [Watson’s] voice will remind our leaders and community organizations that a community’s success is defined by how it cares for its most vulnerable members,” said Copple.

Board Chairman Mike Holland has set a bold goal to relocate the emergency shelter to a location that will sustain year-round operation and space for education and job training. Under his leadership, the board of directors – coupled with Watson’s expertise – looks forward to a banner year for CPOH in 2022.

Watson said she dreams of eliminating homelessness altogether, but until that time, there is plenty more work to do by providing hot meals and temporary lodging.

Board member Ron Cava said the board is pleased to have Watson in the new position. Her education and experience in various social services and counseling uniquely qualify her for this position, he said. “We are pleased to have someone of Delthine’s character, experience, and passion for service with the homeless to join our team.” Cava said.

The community ministry serves Henderson by safely sheltering homeless men, providing them warmth, nourishment, guidance, and encouragement. Since its opening 12 years ago, improvements to the shelter and management have increased capacity to move men from chronic homelessness to more hopeful potential for housing. CPOH seasonally operates a men’s homeless shelter November through March, providing service to 60-80 men each season. Its companion service, Hope House, offers temporary residence for up to six men who are transitioning out of homelessness.

In her new role, Watson will work closely with the board of directors and other CPOH staff to provide support, coordination, guidance, and visibility for services offered to homeless men. Through her networking with regional agencies and organizations, CPOH will enhance the potential for each homeless man to find healing, work and housing.

Learn more at www.cp-hope.org.