ROANOKE, Va. – The Least of These Ministries announced the grand re-opening of their Roanoke facility Monday.
Over the past couple of weeks, the facility has gone under massive renovations and has added the following.
- · Expanded shower area from 3 showers to 6 showers
- · Expanded laundry services from 3 washers to 6 washers and 3 dryers to 8 dryers
- · Installed brand new water heaters
- · Ran all new underground drainage
The renovation has doubled the shelter’s capacity to help serve the unsheltered in the Roanoke Valley.
The Least of These Ministry, also known as TLOT, is seeing an increase in the number of people it serves, and it could use your help.
Founder and President Dawn Sandoval said the group has seen about 100 people each day they’re open.
TLOT offers showers, meals and a place for people to wash their clothes.
The organization operates a motel called Suites By TLOT, where people can rent rooms temporarily.
Another service TLOT offers for the homeless is a warming bus that operates at night in Roanoke City from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
“Some because they’re not permitted others because they have PTSD, they have mental health issues, there’s a lot of domestic violence victims that have been raped or people that have been molested that can’t go in a congregant shelter. So, they prefer to be out where they have more control over their environment,” said Sandoval.
Right now, there are 20 volunteers, but TLOT needs your help with anything from helping with laundry to serving lunches.
“We could be in the same situation. The only thing that separates us from people who are experiencing homelessness is a set of circumstances. Not one person that I’ve ever met who’s experiencing homelessness woke up expecting for this to be what their life is. So, this truly could happen to anybody,” said Sandoval.
The organization also encourages people to provide lunches for the homeless.
You can either drop it off or serve the lunch.
Sandoval also said TLOT could use financial donations too.