A recurring story over the winter months in Harrison was the community stepping up to help homeless individuals and families during the extreme cold and snow.

The story below is co-written by Scott McCaulley and JonChristopher Collins:

Kimberly Rachael Winberry-Case, business manager for the Family Budget Inn in Harrison, appeared on KHOZ's "Around the Table" on Monday to talk about that their role in helping. The inn offered discounted rates during the recent batch of cold weather and snow that hit the area. 
She started offering discounted rooms in early January and noticed she had enough vacant rooms to offer rooms to those stuck in the cold. Winberry-Case took to social media platforms to spread the word.

A release earlier this year from the City of Harrison reported on a meeting with leaders of First United Methodist Church which has been a location for a warming center but ran into an issue with staffing volunteers about the same time the Family Budget Inn rooms became available. They were able to send some of their residents there to help alleviate the problem and continued to offer support.

Harrison Mayor Jerry Jackson meet with church leaders and later met with some of the homeless staying at Family Budget Inn to gather information. In column by Jackson recently published in the Harrison Daily Times, he states the goal of the city is to better understand the homeless situation and to make sure that non-profits that are receiving city funds are doing their share in helping the homeless. 

Winberry-Case said during her “Around the Table” interview that while the program of discounted rooms stopped at the end of February, some families are still being helped with some of the donations that had been left by the community. 

The complete interview from “Around the Table” can be found on the Around the Table Facebook Page.