Jennifer Lacefield was drawn to the Randy Sams Outreach Center to help people, and she uses her background in mental health to do just that.
Lacefield, who's been the executive director at Randy Sams for about a year and a half, started her career in Texarkana as an area grant program director at Southwest Arkansas Counseling and Mental Health Center about 11 years ago.
After working there for nine years, cuts were made to mental health in the state, effectively ending the program.
"My role at the mental health center was really about coordinating services and solving problems, finding solutions that were going to have a long-term effect in improving the lives of children, youth and families," Jennifer said. "I thoroughly enjoyed that. I found that meaningful. Even though I didn't know what I was about to do next, I knew that I would like to do something that was similar to that."
Thanks to the connections she had made during her time at the mental health center, she was able to find a job at a nonprofit helping domestic violence victims until the opportunity at Randy Sams came about.
"Even though I'm fulfilling an executive function behind the scenes more," she said, "I knew it would be fulfilling for me to be doing tasks that were leading to a greater purpose and help somebody be more successful in their life."
Randy Sams' mission is to provide emergency shelter, food and clothing to the homeless and give them tools to help them get back on their feet. They provide residential case management, transportation, job training, life skills classes and a Doorways program for housing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt that mission, causing the shelter to cancel its two biggest annual events.
Randy Sams has received COVID grants, which Lacefield said have gone a long way to help, but they are limited as to what they can purchase with those grants.
To compensate, they are looking to raise $50,000 in community donations by the end of the year. Lacefield said they are at about $14,000 as of mid-November.
Through these funds, Jennifer and Randy Sams hope to have the resources available to provide those in need with what they need.
Despite the tough times, Jennifer said she is thankful for those who still go out of their way to help.
"I guess the only thing that would be on my heart to say is to thank everybody," she said. "I know that there's going to be people reading this who have donated money, time and items over the years. I want them to know that, not only do I appreciate their giving spirits, but I'm certain that their time and their gifts have had a lasting impact on everyone who's come through our doors."