A $1.2M building is rising on Ribaut Rd. in Port Royal. Here’s how it will be used
A new $1.2 million building is rising on Ribaut Road at Casablanca Circle in Port Royal. The 4,500-square foot facility will better position a long-standing Lowcountry Good Samaritan group in serving a growing number of residents who need food and clothing and financial help.
In this difficult economy, even those who are working are not insulated from hard times, according to Lori Opozda.
Opozda is the executive director of HELP of Beaufort, a not-for-profit that’s been providing food, clothing and household items and financial assistance to hundreds of working families, hungry children and seniors for more than half a century. Delivering food to those who can’t make it to its pantry is also key part of the work.
The organization is constructing its first ever permanent food pantry at 1600 Ribaut Road. Besides a pick-up and drop-off food pantry, the 4,500-square-foot facility will have a 2,200-square-foot produce garden, walk-in freezer for cold storage and a private office for client intake. Cooking and gardening classes also are planned.
The bigger and better facility, which is expected to be running by early summer, will arrive at a time when the need is growing.
“We are finding more working families coming in needing assistance whether it be food and clothing or financial assistance,” Opozda said. “That used to be a small percentage of people walking through the door.”
Over the past six to eight months, Opozda says, HELP of Beaufort has seen a 25% to 30% increase in the number of people requesting assistance. And in an indication of the difficult economic times, she adds, a larger percentage of those people already are working full-time jobs.
While construction continues, HELP of Beaufort is making due operating a small pantry at 502 Charles Street in Beaufort, behind the Grace Chapel AME Church.
The Beaufort and Port Royal communities have stepped forward to finance the new headquarters. Over $1 million in money, labor and materials already has been donated for the project. Now the organization is on the last leg of the fundraising, needing $150,000 in donations to finish the job.
A few weeks ago, the organization was thrilled to learn it would receive an anonymous $50,000 — but only if it matches it with $50,000 raised from other sources. So far, the group has raised $22,000 of the $50,000.
Before the project was launched, Opozda went door to door talking with electricians, plumbers, lumber yards and paint supply stores asking for help.
“Just doing a lot of leg work for a small amount of time really paid off,” said Opozda, noting a number of companies agreed to help with materials and labor.
As a result of the generosity, HELP of Beaufort will own the building outright, instead of being saddled with debt. Opozda said. That, in turn, will allow the group to funnel very cent of future donations toward helping people.
In 1973, the women of the First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort started making and delivering meals to seniors and other residents. HELP of Beaufort came along in 1987 and a pantry and free clothing were added. Today, not-for-profit, which relies primarily on volunteers to keep overhead low, works hand-in-hand with local churches and other groups and also provides financial assistance.
Opozda estimates the group helps about 1,200 people a month, which includes those who walk through the doors and their families.
The new Ribaut Road building will be the first permanent location for the organization, which has bounced around through the years.
“It’s taken 51 years,” says Opozda says, “but we finally got there.”
Last week, the roof was finished. Siding is expected to be installed this week. Then, after that, work can begin on the plumbing and interior.
For those that wish to learn more about the project go to helpofbeaufort.org
