Area missions experience increase in residents, decrease in donations

Longview, TX — High temperatures have sent hundreds of local homeless men, women and children seeking refuge from the heat into local shelters and missions.

With an increase in numbers of those served comes an increased demand for supplies, area mission workers say.

Hiway 80 Rescue Mission on Wednesday housed 141 people — 27 more than normal. The shelter is also serving about 650 meals a day.

Salvation Army, House of Hope and Newgate Mission share in the struggle that has come with the summer heat.

“We’ve had an increase in residents and a large decrease in donations,” said Laurie Ramsey, a caseworker with Salvation Army. “We need food items. We are in desperate need.”

Read more from the Longview News-Journal here [1].