COLUMBIA, S.C. — As a crowd lined up outside the front doors of Columbia High School's library on Thursday evening, vendors focusing on housing insecurity and helping those in need began putting out information on tables inside the library.
It's all part of a four-event series hosted by Richland School District One and the Columbia chapter of the NAACP. Glynnis Hagins is a fellow with the organization and created the event to address housing and food insecurity for Richland One residents.
"South Carolina during the pandemic, and even before the pandemic, had one of the highest eviction rates in the country," Hagins said. "Columbia ranks within the top ten in highest evictions."
Inside the high school library, vendors ranging from legal services to the Wateree Community Actions organization spoke with parents about their concerns and pointed them to areas of information.
Deborah Boone works for the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance office in Richland One, tasked with helping families who may be facing difficult housing security circumstances. She says the number of families facing housing insecurity in the district is in the hundreds.
"We have a lot of housing instability in our district, and so if families are able to have stable housing, their children, their students will be able to succeed academically, attendance will be better so it ends up being a win-win for all," Boone said.
Boone says over 60 families showed up to the school to learn and find resources. They were given a questionnaire prior to the event so organizers could send them to the appropriate vendors for their questions. Hagins adds bills have been a huge headache for many parents and were the focal point for almost everyone who showed up.
"People are in need of utility assistance," Hagins said. "Utility assistance and rental assistance have been hard to come by since the pandemic. Resources have dried up so trying to get people connected to those resources is important and we want to make sure people have access to those resources."
Throughout the night parents like April Hernandez stopped by. She was seeking legal help for a question with her rental lease.
"I was seeking housing, like as far as what happens when your name isn't a lease kinda thing," Hernandez said. "I thought it was very informative. I know how much time I have if I want to leave now."
The next housing clinic is scheduled for October 17th at Burnside Elementary School at 5:30 p.m.