Today we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Carpenter.
Hi Katrina, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstories.
Jean’s Angels is a non-profit organization that promotes humanity’s well-being by offering many services within the Tri-County communities.
Our vision is to:
-End homelessness and help restore dignity.
-Be a resource for senior citizens and families in need.
-Inspire breakthroughs in the lives of the children, our future leaders, by helping them achieve everything they desire.
Our Goal:
Our goal is to make a difference in someone’s life every day.
The Founder’s Story:
On August 6, 2011, I lay beside my mom as she took her last breath after battling ovarian cancer. A few years later, in 2015, I lost my dad to heart failure. Losing both parents was unbearable and affected my mental and physical health. In 2015, I started Jean’s Angels to aid children whose parents were diagnosed with a terminal illness or who had recently experienced the loss of a parent. We created a mentoring program, and at the end of the school year, we take up to 25 kids to Disney World for a week. Sowing into senior citizens is also a part of our mission. In 2020, I lost two brothers, less than a month apart. Before his death, my brother Rufus expressed his desire to help the homeless community, as he had once experienced homelessness. To honor his memory, Jean’s Angels began our homeless outreach program. Over the years, we have grown to become a support system for our community’s youth, senior citizens, and the homeless population. We believe that even the smallest actions can make a big difference when we stand together. I am truly grateful to have the support of my husband, Dwaine Carpenter, and our nine beautiful children. I definitely couldn’t have accomplished this without my volunteers and supporters.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Everything you do comes with challenges and obstacles, but I try to focus on things other than them. I’ve learned that God will work everything out if you indeed do God’s will.
Some obstacles:
-Funding
-Support
-Being able to help everyone who has a need
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Jean’s Angels?
Jean’s Angels “Heart for the Homeless Program” provides various mobile outreach services to vulnerable, marginalized, and unhoused populations in the Berkeley, Dorchester, and Charleston County communities of South Carolina.
Executive Summary:
At Jean’s Angels, we believe in being the change we wish to see. Although the pandemic has reduced or delayed additional assistance and volunteering involvement in the area, we still see the importance of ensuring our community has the resources needed to help others. We have a Shower trailer with one ADA shower, two standard showers, a kitchen, two barber stations, a washer, and a dryer to provide complete services to those experiencing homelessness (unhoused) in the tri-county communities. We also have a laundry trailer with four washers and dryers to help provide clean clothes to the homeless. Jean’s Angels also provide various outreach mobile services (e.g., hygiene and personal care, counseling, tutoring, hot meals, assistance with school clothes and supplies, etc.) to vulnerable, marginalized, and unhoused populations in the Berkeley, Dorchester, and Charleston County communities of South Carolina.
It’s hard to accept, but most of us are just one tragedy away from losing everything. America’s Homeless stories are incredibly varied: no two are alike, and there is most certainly at least one story you could relate to. The thing about homelessness that many people don’t grasp is that it is tough to escape. Over the past six years of operating, Jean’s Angels have provided various mobile and other services to diverse populations in the Berkeley, Dorchester, and Charleston County communities assisting individuals and families. On average, we help over 1,500 people a month. Jean’s Angels have developed and implemented an outreach system that makes it easier to provide necessities to those who do not have a place to always go home to.
Target Groups:
According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and HUD, in the state of South Carolina, there are over 4,300 people experiencing homelessness on any given day, and over 12,000 students are homeless. Unfortunately, people become homeless for various reasons, such as financial crisis, unemployment, poverty, or low wages. Other reasons are family conflict, neglect and abuse, disabilities, and physical or mental illnesses.
The counties of Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester make up 20% of the population within South Carolina. The average 2018 daily numbers represent the statistics of Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. The average daily total unhoused population was estimated to be 618. Night-time residence unsheltered (153); Nighttime residence sheltered (280); Veterans experiencing homelessness (97); Persons experiencing chronic homelessness (88); Under 18 years of age (12%); 18-24 years of age (6%); Over 24 years of age (82%). Additionally, the currently served vulnerable population makeup includes at-risk youth, unhoused youth and their parents or guardians, disabled persons (civilians or veterans) of any age, the elderly, and persons with special needs and are estimated to be children aged 18 and under (12-15%) and adults above age 18 (80%). Love and listening are two attributes that set Jean’s Angels apart from others.
Jean’s Angels have mentored and tutored hundreds of kids and taken 103 kids to Disney World, and delivered 20,000+ meals, 6,000 bookbags for school, 10,000 toys in the last three years, 16 community giveaways totaling over a million dollars in food, clothes, shoes, household appliance, hygiene products, heaters, fans, bedding, and so much more. Adopted eight nursing homes and provided gifts, over 3,000 book bags filled with items for the McKinney Vento students(homeless students), and built a mobile shower and Laundry trailer for the homeless.
Any big plans?
Jean’s Angels want to make big changes, but that’s our secret.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jeanangels.org
- Instagram: Jeans.Angels
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064720655151&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Twitter: @JeansAngels_
Image Credits
Brooklyn Kennedy Photography
