After providing clothes, home furnishings and emotional support free to an estimated 48,000 people, the Heart of Christ will be closing by the end of this month.
For more than 23 years, Gloria Wynter Christ has made her downtown building a central access point for those seeking assistance, but has been mandated by her landlord to clear the building.
"My landlord was never mean to me. She just told me I had to leave and I just accepted it," Christ said.
While her forced closure has nothing to do with failure to make the $1,600 monthly rent payments, she said her landlords knew she did not profit from the Heart of Christ and allowed her to "pay it (rent) as she gets it."
Christ is now back to doing what she did before having a building, privately helping families from her home.
Since being notified of the closure, she has given what she could not keep at her home to The Liberty County Training Center on Highway 196. Goodwill is accepting the rest and Youth Challenge has helped her move and pack.
Christ is currently working to fill an urgent need from a single mother with three children for a refrigerator. She is requesting support from the community to donate a refrigerator.
"I'll make a way to pick it up if they have a refrigerator," she said.
The Heart of Christ has reached out to people across the county and state lines.
Christ said she has been helping people all her life and is grateful to those who have supported her.
"I grew a lot...the community helped me grow," she said.
"I'm still going to work," Christ said. "This is what I do."
She still invites the community to make donations, especially the refrigerator, by calling her at 492-5460.
For more than 23 years, Gloria Wynter Christ has made her downtown building a central access point for those seeking assistance, but has been mandated by her landlord to clear the building.
"My landlord was never mean to me. She just told me I had to leave and I just accepted it," Christ said.
While her forced closure has nothing to do with failure to make the $1,600 monthly rent payments, she said her landlords knew she did not profit from the Heart of Christ and allowed her to "pay it (rent) as she gets it."
Christ is now back to doing what she did before having a building, privately helping families from her home.
Since being notified of the closure, she has given what she could not keep at her home to The Liberty County Training Center on Highway 196. Goodwill is accepting the rest and Youth Challenge has helped her move and pack.
Christ is currently working to fill an urgent need from a single mother with three children for a refrigerator. She is requesting support from the community to donate a refrigerator.
"I'll make a way to pick it up if they have a refrigerator," she said.
The Heart of Christ has reached out to people across the county and state lines.
Christ said she has been helping people all her life and is grateful to those who have supported her.
"I grew a lot...the community helped me grow," she said.
"I'm still going to work," Christ said. "This is what I do."
She still invites the community to make donations, especially the refrigerator, by calling her at 492-5460.