AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The world is facing hard times with near-record inflation— but Good Shepherd Church serves the community every month of the year and clothes are always on their list.

“We begin to expand our resources by soliciting from our congregation, and community. Those persons who have donated clothing to support the needs of the community,” said the Director of Family of Life Services Dr. Baptiste. 

Colder weather still lingering means they need warmer clothes.

“We are requesting socks, gloves, mitts, hats, and jackets. We started that – I think– in August of last year for the winter,” Dr. Baptiste said.

And the need for those items is great. 

“Probably what you saw over in the clothes closet is probably the last of some of that remaining. Boots, hats, and things of those sorts,” Dr. Baptiste said.

The staff asks for items that match the current season. But aside from those things, they accept general family needs. 

“We’re talking strollers for the kids, car seats– whatever the need is we make sure that we try to solicit those,” Dr. Baptiste said.

Good Shepherd has seen a major need for every kind of necessity for men. 

“We have an initiative where we are securing socks and toiletries, and edible foods that they can eat without having to heat them up or anything,” Dr. Baptiste said.

Dr. Baptiste tells us men’s items are the hardest to come by, but the men part of their ministry also step up to help.

“And so, what we do to try to bridge that gap, I have some of the men who are a part of the men’s ministry– they take the lead on that– and they are reaching out specifically to men in the church and then we actually tell them what we need,” Dr. Baptiste said.

The church holds both clothing and food drives once a month and twice within that week.

“We do it primarily through our church website, that if you would go on there you would see where you can look at what we’re offering, and at the same time, we’ll have on the website the categories – or the types of clothes that we are needing,” Dr. Baptiste said.

Staff say if you want to make someone’s life better, it first starts with caring. If you want to donate, click here.