Particularly harsh weather throughout most of the U.S. this year — including subzero temperatures, inches of snow and freezing rain — has hampered outreach efforts at several community service organizations around Athens, officials have said.
“There were a couple days with running light staff because of the weather,” said Justin Gray, service unit manager of Athens County Salvation Army. “And we had to repair some of the furniture in the office couple times.”
Other organizations told similar stories.
For the past five weeks, Athens County Food Pantry, a non-profit organization that supplies forty bags and boxes of food twice a week to the Athens County Department of Job and Family Services, has been closed because of severe water damage in its facility and is still not opened.
Officials from the pantry declined to comment further.
Also, organizations such as the Salvation Army, have seen less foot traffic, Gray said.
He added that in January, the Salvation Army “served” 568 people, which is because of a “reduction in some of the general food traffic because people are being cautious and staying out of the road.”
He further expressed his concern about the price of propane, which causes significant heating problems in the county.
“People in Athens use propane. But the problem of propane is that when it runs out, unlike Columbia Gas, it costs the people $500 just to set the new one up,” Gray said. “That is extremely challenging for many people with low income in this area.”
Jeff Bush, assistant director of Athens County Job and Family Services, said the propane problem had a sizable impact on the county’s residents this winter.
“That’s really hurting especially for lower income folks,” Bush said.
Shea Post, executive director of Athens Area Homeless Shelter, said that weather did not affect the shelter as much as other services.
It has six rooms and serves six families, which is about 20 to 25 people at a time.
Bush said the county, though it did shut down for one day this winter because of weather, had no choice but to operate as usual.
“Nothing new,” Bush said. “We just provide what we can with resources we have.”
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