The Coffee Club

Michael served five years in prison on an arson charge and returned to Greenville after completing his sentence without a home, family, or support system. He struggled through two failed attempts to stay in an emergency shelter, finding it extremely difficult to live in such close quarters due to challenges associated with his mental illness. 

That’s when a collective fund working in partnership with The Coffee Club assisted Michael to stay in a motel and change the course of his life. 

The Coffee Club is an ad hoc group of professionals representing more than two dozen agencies who meet weekly to help address the complex issues facing residents experiencing homelessness. The Coffee Club fund grew out of Miracle Hill Ministries, United Ministries, Triune Mercy Center, The Salvation Army, Greenville Area Mental Health, and Beth Templeton of Our Eyes Were Opened responding after a series of articles in The Greenville News covered the homeless encampment under the Pete Hollis Boulevard bridge—also known as Tent City—in 2014. The stories elicited a broad swelling of donations that were intended to be helpful, but ultimately proved to have the opposite effect. The attention caused Tent City’s population to swell to dangerous levels and local officials were forced to compassionately relocate the residents. 

Foundations, individuals, and other entities committed more than $130,000 in unrestricted funding toward the cause, allowing service providers to work with Tent City residents one-on-one to address their unique needs. The money was used for down payments for housing, transportation, short-term hotel occupancy, and for furniture and other household items.

Since Tent City closed, Coffee Club funds have secured shelter for people who are experiencing homelessness but unable to go to an emergency shelter because of their physical or mental health. 

Most of the original Tent City residents transitioned away from homelessness because service providers and the community met them at their unique level of need. 

A handful of individuals assisted by the fund have voluntarily paid their portion back, some in full, once they obtained stable income.

In 2020, Coffee Club funds were fully depleted but the community continued to rally to aid unsheltered residents during a global pandemic. 

As for Michael, he’s been in permanent housing for more than five years now. He improved his education and volunteers at the food pantry. “I’m happy to have a place because it’s a lot better than being homeless,” Michael said. “There’s no other place I’d rather be. Support is everything.”

Since the release of the 2019 Report on Homelessness in Greenville County, the Greenville Homeless Alliance has worked to raise money for the replenishing of the Coffee Club fund. Donate to The Coffee Club fund through the Greenville Homeless Alliance to help people like Michael receive the unique care and attention they need. Make a notation that the donation is for The Coffee Club and 100% of your gift will go to the collective fund.

Previous
Previous

Catalina

Next
Next

Fred