Members of Place of Grace Church are still determined to give people healing from drug addiction a fresh start even though they were recently denied county funding for opioid addiction treatment.
At the most recent meeting of the Richmond County Commission, Wesley Jackson from Place of Grace asked the Commissioners to take a tour of the facility. The facility is a 24-hour care center that used to be an elementary school but now houses homeless people in the winter.
“He was living at Place of Grace when I went there with him (a friend).” When I walked in, I saw a man, probably in his 30s, crying his eyes out to my right. His shoulder is being tapped by a 6-year-old and a 7-year-old. “Who was that man?” I asked Pastor Gary Richardson that day after church. Jackson told him.
“He lived there and was fighting methamphetamines.” I had never felt God move through a place like I did that day. I’ve seen Place of Grace and been there since then. I’m on the board of directors, so I can see how much money comes in and how much goes out.
I’ve seen them change a lot of lives and take in the poorest people in our town with nothing. There is no money, and the staff is working for free. Pastor Gary has been working for free for many months.
Place of Grace gives people who are trying to get clean from drugs a place to live and make improvements to themselves while they are getting clean. In May, I interviewed Pastor Richardson, and he said that Place of Grace does not have a perfect track record when it comes to rehabilitating its followers.
He said that only half of the people who started the program finished it. People who join the program, on top of daily classes, can get clothes for work or job interviews, food, tools, and even toys for their kids. Families have been known to walk into the facility with nothing but what they are wearing.
The disciples at Place of Grace do community service like giving free groceries to poor families in Richmond County when they’re not studying or going on job interviews.
Place of Grace also gives homeless people in the area a place to stay temporarily during the winter. Jackson told the commissioners that the facility might not be able to pay to house homeless people in the next few months if nothing is done.
“I’d like to invite you all to come to Place of Grace.” To pay for that, I either can’t do enough pushups or find enough money. We don’t have the money. He said, “I’d like to invite you to see Place of Grace and see what we’re doing.” “…maybe you should think again about some kind of support.
We really need your help, but I don’t know what kind of money the government can give to that kind of building. We don’t have the money for it, especially since winter is coming and the cold weather shelter is opening up.