Celebrate Thanksgiving by giving back to those in greatest need. On Sunday, November 8, you can enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving feast, lovely music, and very good company – all while benefiting two area agencies that provide shelter and services to the homeless in our communities. The 23rd Annual Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner to Aid the Homeless begins at noon at Wellington’s of Scarlet Oaks Country Club in Poca. All proceeds benefit the YWCA Sojourner’s Shelter serving homeless women and families and the Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center serving homeless men.
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, 3.5 million people will experience homelessness in the U.S. in a given year. Children under the age of 18 account for 39% of the homeless population – 42% of which are under the age of five. During the 2008-2009 fiscal year, YWCA Sojourner’s and Roark-Sullivan sheltered a combined 1,911 individuals, served 114,404 meals, and provided 43,770 shelter nights to homeless men, women and children in the Greater Kanawha Valley.
Each year, area vendors join together to help the homeless in our community by donating items such as hams, green beans and dinner rolls to this important event. For the past 23 years, the owners and staff of Wellington’s have generously donated food, serving and cooking services, and everything else needed to make this elaborate dinner one of the Kanawha Valley’s finest efforts.
Tickets are $30 per person and 60% tax deductible (children under ten are free) and can be obtained by calling the YWCA Sojourner’s Shelter at (304) 340-3553 or Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center at (304) 414-0109 or online at www.ywcacharleston.org or www.rslwc.org. Checks made payable to the Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner may be mailed to Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner, YWCA of Charleston, 1114 Quarrier Street, Charleston, WV, 25301. Tickets also may be purchased at the door on Nov. 8.
The Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center (RSLC) is an independent, non-profit agency whose mission is to provide services to those experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness in the Greater Kanawha Valley area of West Virginia. The foundation of all of RSLC programs and services is personal accountability and responsibility. RSLC currently operates four facilities that are open 24/7,365 days a year providing essential supportive serves to adult men, women and Veterans who are experiencing homelessness.
The YWCA Sojourner’s Shelter for Homeless Women and Families provides emergency shelter and supportive services 24/7, 365 days a year for homeless single women, women with children, men with custody of their children and intact families. This 75-bed facility offers a secure, healthy environment with crisis intervention, case management, counseling, and education and job training to help individuals achieve long-term self-sufficiency.
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