Sen. Cornyn visits local outreach shelter
Lawmaker in town to kick off holiday donation drive
To inspire local holiday-donation spirit for the Randy Sams’ Outreach Shelter, some friendly persuasion came Sunday all the way from Washington, D.C.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, dropped by the shelter to offer local officials and citizens praise and encouragement to foster participation in the local Share the Warmth Holiday Donation Drive.
The drive’s aim is to collect warm clothes, — including coats, blankets, socks, scarves — and other winter wear, to help Texarkana’s homeless people stay warm during the holiday season and beyond.
“I’m coming here to see people working to donate blankets, socks and coats for the drive,” Cornyn said. “This shelter will even take cash donations. It’s nice to know that shelters like this one are available to help people who often may just need to get back on their feet, prepare for a job and start back on their own again.”
During Cornyn’s visit, Jennifer Lacefield, the shelter’s executive director, spoke to him about the shelter’s average homeless numbers and their fluctuations according to seasons and weather.
Lacefield said the shelter averages about 70 clients — a number which can go up to 80 or more as the weather gets colder. She added that the shelter has up to 136 beds. As for sustenance, she said the shelter relies primarily on donations.
Besides visiting the living area, Cornyn also toured the kitchen, food-storage area and laundry section.
The Rev. Douglas Anderson, board
chairman for the shelter, said that in homeless shelters nationwide most clients are men, with women making up about 37 percent of the shelter residents. About 11 percent of shelter occupants are veterans and 25 percent are the working poor who work but still have no permanent residence.
Anderson added that the idea for a local shelter first took seed in 1993, when a homeless man attempted to seek shelter in an abandoned wood-frame home. The home burned down and killed the man after he lit a fire to keep warm.
Lori Petit, the shelter’s kitchen manager, said she used to be homeless.
“When I became homeless, I was scared to walk into the shelter — basically because one moment I had everything in life and the next moment I lost it all,” she said. “It’s hard to deal with.”
Petit showed Cornyn and Texarkana, Texas, Mayor Bob Bruggeman how to make sandwiches.
“Mayor, I think you and I may have missed our calling,” Cornyn said as he noticed both he and Bruggeman having success with the sandwiches.