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The Troup County Solicitor’s Office recently partnered with the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) to transport basic necessity donations to two sister-shelters of local non-profit Harmony House, a State of Georgia certified shelter that offers emergency lodging, crisis intervention, and advocacy for victims of domestic violence. Harmony House is proud to support fellow domestic violence shelters throughout Georgia, and recognizes the importance of utilizing their sister-shelter network for the safety of their clients.

The Troup County Solicitor’s Office is able to make consistent donations to non-profits in our community by collecting household necessities through their Pre-Trial Diversion Program, which allows participants to donate items such as clothing, school supplies, diapers, etc. in exchange for reduced community service hours. These items are then donated to various local charities for their use or distribution.

Upon meeting with Harmony House Executive Director Michele Bedingfield about several sister-shelters in desperate need of nursery necessities after devastation from Hurricane Helene, Troup County Solicitor General Sandra Taylor began organizing ways to transport her office’s recent Pre-Trial Diversion Program donations to South Georgia. With State and local law enforcement agencies already present at the Troup County Government Center on Friday, October 4th, Solicitor Taylor asked if anyone would soon be dispatched to the Valdosta area to assist with hurricane response.

Once notified of the situation, and without hesitation, GSP Colonel Billy Hitchens had Corporal Brad Turner transport the donations to the Harmony House sister-shelters. That weekend, Cpl. Turner and Solicitor Taylor, along with the help of their families, loaded the donations into a GSP vehicle in preparation for the special delivery. On Tuesday, Oct. 8, Cpl. Turner delivered an abundance of diapers and other nursery necessities to South Georgia to be distributed between sister-shelters Magnolia House in Waycross and The Haven in Valdosta.

“I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Georgia State Patrol for quickly volunteering support and allowing multiple agencies to work together to make the transportation of this timely donation possible,” said Troup County Solicitor General Sandra Heath Taylor. “Thank you, Colonel Hitchens, for your leadership and your continued dedication to the citizens of Georgia.”