HUB hitting the streets to help the homeless

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - A Jonesboro resource center is hitting the streets to better serve the city’s homeless.

The HUB in Downtown Jonesboro doles out supplies and lunches to the homeless and hungry on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, due to outside forces such as COVID-19 and inclement weather, they can be limited in their reach.

Their goal is in the name: Helping the Underserved Belong. So to better do so, they’re making some changes. In mid-January, with a chance of snow in the forecast, they tried something new.

HUB Director Kimberly Chase and one of her volunteers started a community outreach program to get supplies to those that might not be able to make it to the building at 711 Union St. They drove around Jonesboro handing out tents, food, bottles of water, and other supplies to those in need.

She said they plan to keep the program going indefinitely every Wednesday

“I would love to see this program continue. It’s something that I’ve wanted to do at least since the ice storm last year,” Chase said, referring to the February 2021 winter storm.

That’s much easier said than done.

Although this is a program they can continue in the short term, they will need additional funding and supplies to keep it going. The biggest need is a vehicle. For now, Chase is using her personal vehicle to distribute the goods.

She is actively working on grants to fund the program moving forward, but it doesn’t stop there.

Even though the HUB has a solid stockpile of supplies right now, they will soon be in need of more tents, high-protein food, and other miscellaneous items

If the past is any indicator, though, Chase believes the community will come through

“You know the Jonesboro community has really been a supporter of ours and has really stepped up and donated,” she said.

Overall, the program is just a part of the HUB’s larger goal. Their mission is to no longer be needed once there are no longer any homeless people in Jonesboro. Until then, they plan to keep fighting the good fight.

“To know that maybe you’re making a difference in at least one person’s life, it’s good,” Chase said. “The HUB is going to be around until there are no homeless in Jonesboro.”

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