Samaritan Outreach adapting services to better assist those in need

Its mission for more than 20 years has been to feed and clothe those in need in Highland County. But organizers of Samaritan Outreach Services say a part of that function means adapting with the changing needs of the community. 

SOS Executive Director Debbie Mitchell said that the organization's primary goal is to stop hunger in Highland County, and they are adapting their services to better serve that goal. 

"Our board was looking at what we've been doing for all the time that Samaritan Outreach has been here. We had three main areas: We helped with the food pantry, clothing closet and with disconnect funds available," Mitchell said. "We were wondering if we were really doing the best job we could do, or if we were doing a mediocre job in three areas. Our board had been praying about it and studying it and looking at what we should do."

Mitchell said SOS submitted a survey to all their clients and asked if they felt limiting the clothing could help enhance the food services. 

"Out of all our clients, 95 percent of them said yes," Mitchell said. "We asked them to rank the three services and tell us which was most important. The food was first, utilities was second and the clothing was a very, very distant third."

As a result of the survey, SOS applied for grant funding through the Clinton County Foundation, and obtained funds for the installation of a walk-in freezer. 

"We were thinking that we would be able to expand if we had more food to hand out at one time, so we were relieved we got the funding for the walk-in freezer," Mitchell said. 

While the full conversion of services has not been completed yet, the outreach program is no longer accepting many of the donations it has in the past, such as clothing and household items. Clothing that has been donated will continue to be distributed in until they are all out, so nothing goes to waste. Mitchell said they will still accept "special" seasonal items, such as coats in the winter and electric fans in the summer. 

The front area of the ministries building, which is located on North East Street in Hillsboro, had previously been designated for offices and clothing distribution. When the change is fully implemented some time in the early part of 2011, Mitchell said it is the hope it will resemble a grocery store. 

"We think it will bring more dignity to the people we serve, who are low income," Mitchell said. "They can choose directly from the shelves, which will give them better choices because they know what their families want. It won't just be us handing them a box and saying 'This is what you can have.'"

However, before any new policies or decisions were finalized, Mitchell said it was important to the SOS board of trustees and its employees that they paid respect to their roots. 

"While we were asking ourselves, 'How do we move forward?' we contacted David Carson. His parents, John and Jean Carson, were the founders of Samaritan Outreach. We asked him what his parents would have wanted us to do and he said, 'They would want you to feed as many people as you could. They were always looking for change and the best ways to take care of others,'" Mitchell said.

Mitchell said that as the changes have begun most of the outreach's patrons like the change. 

"The problem is with the greater community," she said. "They want to bring clothing items and at this point we won't accept them."

Mitchell said that as an alternative, people who want to donate unused or unwanted items can contact New Life Ministries on state Route 247. 

"They will be trying to take on the clothing ministry," Mitchell said. 

The church can be contacted at (937) 393-2429.

Additionally, she said, 937 Ministries, located in the old Webster School and is an affiliate of the Church of Christ, is working on a clothing distribution ministry. 

"We are trying to expand to serve the people to the best of our ability," Mitchell said. "For Thanksgiving, we gave away 472 baskets. We're averaging close to 500 families a month who are receiving food."

People who utilize the services at SOS can only receive food once a month, and Mitchell said the organization realizes the amount they give will not last for 30 days. However, there are resources countywide. 

"We are an emergency pantry, and there are other pantries they can go to when our supply has been depleted," Mitchell said. "They can go to the Community Action pantry, or the Greenfield pantry and get additional items. So no one should be hungry. There are pantries available."

Mitchell said that numbers for the month of November can seem inflated because patrons received the normal food supply, plus an additional Thanksgiving basket if requested. According to their records, in the month of November 801 households received services at SOS, totally 2,499 people. Out of those numbers, 922 were children. 

"Our goal is to stop hunger in Highland County," Mitchell said. "There's a lot of hungry people since DHL and some of the other plants closed down. We are learning that three out of every 10 children in our area go to bed hungry because there is no food in the house to eat. So there are at least that many hungry adults, because I don't know any parents that would eat before they would their child."

Anyone in need of food or utility assistance can contact Samaritan Outreach services at (937) 393-2220.