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From left to right, volunteer Shelby Beauchamp holding Mazi Mathis, volunteer Lynda Farley and Executive Director Vanessa Jackson. BAILEY BALLARD/Staff
Putnam Christian Outreach (PCO) continues to impact the Putnam community and beyond.
“We predominantly help Putnam County but we are truly Putnam Christian Outreach and beyond,” said Vanessa Jackson, executive director of Putnam Christian Outreach.
Putnam Christian Outreach has been serving the Putnam community since 1988. They have offered resources such as food, shelter, household goods and clothing to the community since its founding. As the world has changed, the outreach is also expanding and developing to fit community needs better and work beyond the county line.
“We always try to ask the community, ‘What will help you?’ and we expand our products in store, stock for drives, the medical library and services to match those needs,” said Jackson.
Throughout the week, PCO runs as a thrift store that accepts donations from the community and from partners such Bluestem. The store has a top and bottom floor with a varied selection from clothing to furniture. Prices vary throughout but are made affordable for all customers.
“All donations for the store are from the community and Bluestem. Bluestem donates a lot of new things to us,” said Jackson. “Our store runs with the help of volunteers too. We have roughly 10 to 12 volunteers who help periodically throughout the year.”
Alongside the thrift store, volunteer Lynda Farley runs her own Christian book store called Heaven’s Gate. The store offers a range of Christian books and gives out bibles to those in the community who do not own one.
“The Christian bookstore has been a wonderful blessing to have here,” said Jackson.
Another large resource that PCO offers is their medical library. The medical library has functioned for over 20 years and offers the community free medical aids. The medical library offers aids such as wheelchairs and crutches. Community members can check out any item they need and return it to the library when it is no longer needed.
“We saw a need for crutches, potty chairs, wheelchairs and more. So, since we are here for the community we decided we wouldn’t charge for it,” said
Jackson.
More recently, PCO has begun offering space for different organizations and volunteers to do projects. On Wednesdays, churches come to the building to work on the Backpack Ministry. The Backpack Ministry packs food into school bags for 41 elementary students and 10 middle school students.
“They give each backpack a minimum of two breakfasts, two lunches, two snacks, a napkin, spoon, or fork and a juice along with an inspirationa note,” said Jackson.
Every third Monday of the month, PCO and volunteers host their drive-thru food drive. Individuals are given donated food, refrigerated meat and USDA food. For individuals with children under 18, they are also given a selection of children’s food.
“Cars are lined up almost to the first stop sign near our store,” said Jackson, “It’s just amazing.”
Presently, PCO has partnered with Men of Lake Oconee’s project “Beds for Kidz.” The organization builds children’s beds and supplies them with pillows, mattresses and more to complete the bed. As they expand this projec into Putnam County, they will begin storing these beds at Putnam Christian Outreach.
“The beds will be stored here and can be picked up to fulfill their order request. I’m so excited for this to happen,” said Jackson.
Since the pandemic, PCO now offers Listening Interviews. It is a service where someone can come in, sit down with a member of PCO and discuss anything that they need to get off their chest. These interviews are not equivalent to therapy sessions but rather offered to give people the chance to talk and be offered encouragement.
“Sometimes people are just overwhelmed and need to speak,” said Jackson. “We are not counselors but we sit, listen and encourage them.”
Putnam Christian Outreach offers many services and resources. None of these services or resources are just limited to county lines. As the outreach continues to expand, they hope to offer even more services to exemplify Jesus Christ’s love by assisting the outward community.
“We just thank the community for supporting us,” said Jackson. “Since 1988 this outreach and the community support has been a godsend. I am so blessed to have been a part of this outreach for almost nine years.”
To get involved with Putnam Christian Outreach, go to www.pcoicares.com/ get-involved.