Randy Sams’ open house to celebrate expansion

The Randy Sams’ Outreach Shelter will have an open house, ribbon-cutting and memorial dedication at the center at 10 a.m. Saturday at 402 Oak St., Texarkana, Texas.

The public is invited to attend and see the newly renovated and expanded shelter. The shelter can now house 133 people at a time, including a women’s area that houses twice the number of women it previously could. Central heat and air, an enclosed kitchen and more pantry space were also added.

“We are beyond words thrilled,” said Jennifer Laurent, Randy Sams’ executive director. “We are well aware of what this building will enable us to do and the larger number of people we’ll be able to help. We’re just excited for the people we’re going to be able to assist.”

At 11 a.m., the public is invited to the shelter’s Outreach Center at 803 Spruce

St. Tours will be given and there will be a dedication for the Eric Denson Memorial Garden.

Lunches will be available for $10 and will include chicken spaghetti, green beans, bread and bread pudding. T-shirts and cookbooks will be available for purchase.

The new Outreach Center includes space for the shelter’s case management team, administrative staff, a library for clients, and a computer lab with new equipment and software to help clients improve job skills, apply for jobs and research information to accomplish important goals. There is a large conference room that can be used by the community, a chapel area, a newly installed commercial kitchen for the Be the Blessing job training program and more.

“We did not have a computer lab or a library and we did not have classroom space and we have a conference room now that did not exist prior,” Laurent said.

Having those resources in place will help clients meet their goals, she said.

“So often our clients feel like they don’t have anywhere to be and lack of those resources are a barrier to them returning to the life they want to lead. So knowing that’s an option for them and having someone on staff with the intent of helping them is just going to provide a sense of relief,” Laurent said.

The Randy Sams’ Outreach Shelter, Inc., a 501 c(3) organization, was developed as a product of a labor of love. Randy Sams was a local teenager who volunteered at the local Outreach Kitchen. In May 1993, Randy was tragically killed. In honor of their son, Randy’s parents donated land and seed money to establish a shelter that would serve the greater Texarkana community, hungry, poor, and homeless. The shelter opened January 6, 1996, and averages between 85-95 guests per night. To date, the shelter has transitioned more than 1,250 clients to permanent housing and more than 13,000 community clients have received utility assistance, rental assistance and food baskets.

For more information or to volunteer, email jenniferlaurent@cableone.net or call 903-792-7024.