SUMTER, S.C. — A group in Sumter that helps provide emergency services is now bracing for a spike of people in need due to the coronavirus.
"It's almost like the perfect storm," Mark Champagne said.
He leads the Sumter United Ministries which assists with food, shelter and emergency support to people in the county.
"The largest thing in crisis relief we give is assistance for is for utility bills and for rent or people about to be evicted and so, even though there's a grace period going on right now ...that's not going to last forever," Champagne said.
Although they haven't seen an increase in people yet, they are preparing for the possibility and seeking financial and volunteer support.
"A lot of people are out of work. The stimulus money will help, but the money I don't believe is enough to keep people out of the wood's after all of the things that have happened," Champagne said.
They're also transitioning their homeless shelter to 24-hour operations and seeking volunteers to assist. Visit their website to learn more.