Safe Nights program offers support for homeless
The Safe Nights program through LifeStyles of Maryland Inc. is in full swing, providing shelter for homeless citizens of Charles County in churches throughout the area.
Battling homelessness is a primary cause for LifeStyles, and Safe Nights is its most well-known initiative. The program runs from October to April and is in its 12th year, having grown from a pair of churches to more than two dozen host sites. Lifestyles and its partner organizations offer lodging, meals and toiletries for those in need, along with other betterment activities.
Churches around the county volunteer their spaces for a week or two during the seven-month period and host residents from Sunday to Sunday. The sites can typically accommodate 30 to 40 people and include varying amenities like shower access, laundry services and prepared lunches. The focus of the program is to assist the homeless with basic needs, but also enrich their lives on a personal level.
“The first goal was to get people out of the cold, bringing people out of the elements so that they could have a place that they could stay that would be safe,” said LifeStyles Executive Director Sandy Washington. “The extended goal has been to put people in an atmosphere with folks around them that are positive, that can help them recognize that there is a way out and that there’s hope.”
Washington explained the nonprofit has expanded its efforts to include further involvement in the lives of those in its care. Staff members not only provide supplies and a warm bed, but assist participants in finding job opportunities, medical care and permanent residences. This attitude has resonated with local parishes, quickly growing LifeStyles’ fleet of church partnerships.
“We started with two churches thinking that we’re gonna go back and forth,” Washington said. “From there, each time, more and more churches came on board. Now we’re at the point of churches are asking, and not only are they asking, I have churches that are helping other churches through the process.”
The Dome at New Life has the honors for this coming week, and Pastor Graylin Walker’s team will be hosting residents for the second straight year. They will be joined by Pastor Marissa Ackerman and the Overflow Church at the New Life campus in La Plata. Walker said the values and objectives of LifeStyles aligns with that of his church, making it an easy decision to get involved. The Dome at New Life offers showers, multiple forms of entertainment and an engaging, devoted staff. Walker added he and his worship team would like to expand their role in the lives of residents.
“We have this little saying that we’re not just a church, we’re family,” Walker said. “Family just kind of looks out for each other and kinda be a part of a community. We don’t want to be just a Sunday-only thing, we want to be a part of the community the rest of the week as well.”
In addition to Safe Nights, LifeStyles is currently running its Holiday Samaritan Project, distributing 600 baskets of food items for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. This comes on the heels of its 15th annual Walk to End Homelessness in Charles County, which was expected to raise around $30,000. Homelessness remains a primary concern for LifeStyles, and Washington said she will continue to keep it at the forefront.
“Homelessness is real, and it could be any of us or any of our families,” Washington said. “These are real people, these are not just statistics and numbers. Every single face, every little child, every infant that’s in this program is a real person.”
Anyone interested in enrolling in Safe Nights can meet with a LifeStyles representative to discuss their needs. For more information, contact homeless services manager LaShawn Lanham at 301-609-9900.