FORT SMITH, Ark. — Fort Smith is seeing an increased amount of people sleeping on the streets as shelters are having to limit their services due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Next Step Homeless Services in Fort Smith is working tirelessly to help, but had to cut back services because of a vandalism.
There were dozens of people in the parking lot of the St. John's Episcopal Church on Friday waiting for their next meal.
Both the church and Next Step have stepped up to do more for the homeless in the area during the pandemic.
"We are offering our parking lot to the Next Step Homeless Services so they can continue to do their social work and do breakfast and lunch for the homeless," Priest Mike Lager with St. John's Episcopal Church said.
For over a month, the church had large tents set up to provide shelter from the weather. But, vandalism to the tents forced them to take them down.
"We had a few homeless individuals that were staying under the tents in their own individual tents,and they bent a pole and vandalized the tents. The tent company asked us to remove the tents," Next Step Executive Director Sharon Chapman said.
This is not stopping Next Step from providing breakfast and lunch every day, for many of these people it is there only guaranteed meal.
"Of course if it rains its just an uncomfortable situation for the people we're serving but we're doing the best we can to keep everybody safe," Chapman said.
Man of the people out in the St. John's parking lot on Friday did not have access to sanitation, and most are without face masks or resources to treat illnesses.
"The homeless are one of the most vulnerable populations during crises like the covid crisis because of their poor health status, the stress their bodies have undergone from sleeping in the streets, poor hygiene and other factors come into play," Chapman said.
St John's church is located in the middle of the homeless community in Fort Smith, so they feel it is their responsibility to provide a safe place while church services are canceled.
SOT Priest Mike Lager St Johns Episcopal Church
"To open up to our neighbors means opening up to the homeless. We put up porta-potties in our parking lot and we have two handwashing stations. As people come into the area of our parking lot we ask them to wash their hands before serving breakfast and lunch," Priest Lager said.
Next Step serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. in St. John's Episcopal Church parking lot.
Leaders say they will soon expand to the weekends as COVID-19 continues to put more people on the streets.