Arkansas-side community service organization The Healing Place soon will say goodbye to its Ferguson Street headquarters and instead send its volunteers where they are needed.
The plan is to launch satellite offices "in partnership with several local not-for-profit agencies, churches and other community outreaches throughout Texarkana," founder Virginia Howard said.
"We stepped back and looked at where we're going to see how we can actually provide more for the community. So we decided to close the center but open mobile units throughout Texarkana. We're still going to provide services. We're just going to be able to reach more people," she said.
For example, the organization plans to station volunteers at Williams Memorial United Methodist Church during its food drives who will provide people with guides to local charity and social services.
"We sit down with our partners and find out services that they are currently doing, and then we look at our services and we see what can we provide there. So we customize these units according to the location and the need within their church or congregation or organization," Howard said.
Founded in March 2013 to provide training, education, counseling and resources to the community, The Healing Place opened its headquarters Jan. 1, 2014. Services it has provided include GED classes, professional-style clothing for women returning to the workforce and more than 2,000 backpacks filled with school supplies for local children.
Howard said the organization plans to periodically add new services such as tutoring, and it still needs volunteers.
A farewell celebration and garage sale are scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon May 19 at The Healing Place, 1002 Ferguson St. For more information, call 870-779-9232.
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