ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The new and revamped Samaritan House of Orangeburg is celebrating one year of helping homeless people.
"It's been a good year," said Henry Miller, the Samaritan House's executive director. "It's been a good year to the point that we have served 127 people in Orangeburg County over the last year we've been opened."
September 1st marks the day of the Samaritan House's relaunch since the homeless shelter closed in 2016.
"Back then, they got funds from the government," explained Miller. "Some government funds were cut back then, which caused them to close. Mayor Michael Butler saw there was a need to reopen the shelter. He put a board together and put them in charge of finding funds for the shelter."
The Samaritan House's executive director says the facility was built in 2001 and is the only homeless shelter in Orangeburg County.
Miller says this time the Samaritan House is getting more support from the community than in previous years.
Officials from the shelter hope the progress from the relaunch will lead to more homeless shelters being built around the county.
"There are homeless people in those rural areas out there that can't get here," said MIller. "It doesn't have to be to this magnitude, but to be able to open another shelter in those rural areas, it will be ideal to have several out there."