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Christmastime is here once again, and we are all reminded of a certain newborn sleeping in a manger, it’s a good time to remember those of us who also don’t have a bed to lay our heads.

For those in LaGrange, there is hope. Hope in the form of Branches of Hope, the local homeless shelter run by the LaGrange-Troup County Homeless Coalition, which still has room for those in need of food and shelter over the holidays.

“If somebody needs help, they just need to come to us after 5 p.m. at our address, 124 Gordon Commercial Drive,” said Branches of Hope Director of Development Lisa Ellison. “We’ll give you a bed, we’ll give you a blanket, we’ll give you whatever you need to shower.”

Ellison said when folks come in, they have to agree to a behavior contract saying they are going to be respectful and appropriate for the shelter. People in need can come in from 5 to 10 p.m., or they can wait on the property after 3 p.m. until the doors open. Those in emergencies after 10 p.m. should go to the LaGrange Police Department to be brought to the shelter.

“We feed them dinner and breakfast, and we’ll give them a lunch to go off with,” Ellison said, saying people can fix a sack lunch to take with them when they have to be out of the shelter during the day.

Along with colder weather that drives people to shelters like Branches of Hope, Christmastime also brings generosity. For those wanting to donate, Branches of Hope is always in need of coffee, sugar, tea bags (gallon-sized), laundry soap, dishwasher soap, toilet paper, underwear (all sizes and genders), pajamas or sweat pants, and t-shirts.

“Those are things that we need, but we also we’re still new to the community, so we still don’t have ongoing funding to keep our doors open over the long haul,” Ellison said.

Ellison said people are more generous around the holidays, but they need funding year-round.

“Because it’s the holidays, everybody thinks about the homeless at this time of the year. Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s always, ‘Yay, let’s help the homeless,’ but then July rolls around, and they’re busy with life,” she said. “Most of the giving happens at the end of the year.”

“We would love to have anybody who hasn’t given to give. This community has been super generous and kind, but we would invite anybody to give and come down for a tour and see what it is we’re doing so that they understand our program,” Ellison said. 

Ellison said another way to help is to volunteer and provide a dinner once a month.

“It makes a big difference for us. It helps our staff to be able to do their job instead of cooking for 40 people every night,” she said.