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Initiative expands to serve more families in need

 

COLUMBUS—Columbus Baptist Church, in collaboration with Donna and Jeremy Wood, is opening a new Hope Chest location in Columbus. 

The Woods started The Hope Chest at Columbus Baptist Church in 2020. Recently, the couple purchased the property at 106 Houston Road to house a new expanded Hope Chest venue. 

“We are foster parents here in Polk County and have always wanted to do more for the children,” said Donna on the origin of The Hope Chest. “We once received a placement of five children who had been taken into care directly upon getting off the school bus one afternoon. They literally had only the clothes they wore to school and backpacks. Nothing else. We knew at that moment we had to make a run to TJ Maxx to go shopping for clothing and needed hygiene products, and that can be very costly, especially for that number of children at once. It was then that we knew we wanted to start a clothing closet for foster children.”

The Hope Chest provides anything and everything required for children, from infants to teenagers. If the location can’t provide something for those in need, they’ll locate it for the family. It serves any family or child in need in Polk or nearby counties, including the Landrum area.

The Hope Chest also provides foster children with birthday gifts and parties, Christmas gifts, groceries and furniture, if needed. 

“Everything is free. We operate solely on community donations,” Wood said. “It is currently set up kind of like a store, very small quarters. People come in and shop through the clothes, and we give them a shopping bag to take whatever they need, no questions asked.”

 Renovations to the small, blue house across from the church have been required, including a new roof, adjustments to the HVAC and electrical work. “There is lots of work to do, and we are paying for it ourselves,” said Donna. “CBC is planning a work day at the house in the very near future.”  

The Hope Chest located within CBC is currently open; however, there is currently no firm opening date for the new location on Houston Rd. “We do not have set hours, but are available 24\7 for any family in need,” Wood said of the CBC Hope Chest.

More information can be found at columbus-bc.org or 864-436-0616.