VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) -Lowndes Associated Ministries to People - also called “LAMP” – is celebrating 40 years of service to Valdosta’s homeless population.

The organization has built a safe place for men, women, and families to live, while also connecting them to permanent housing and employment.

“This is just an outstanding show of how community efforts and partnerships have helped us stay where we are for 40 years,” Yurshema Flanders, LAMP Executive Director said.

Flanders says there has been an influx of homelessness in Valdosta impacting large families with five people or more. But LAMP is only able to house 10 families in its dorm space.

“Daily we are seeing new individuals emerging...why we don’t know...we actually do know because people are unable to live in their homes. The price of living has gone up but their salaries have not. It’s becoming a very bad hardship for families,” she said.

In the street outreach program, there are still more than 60 people in need of shelter and food. Flanders said they have been working with community partners to provide temporary housing for families and individuals as they work to be rehoused.

“The lives that we are changing for families, for children, you know with positive experiences is that this does not define what is in store for you later,” Flanders said.

To help support families and individuals experiencing those hardships, in December 2023, they began “Lunch at LAMP” as an effort to continue to the soup kitchen on the East side of town. Since then, they have served over 20,000 meals Monday through Friday.

Cassie Reese, a LAMP board member and lead volunteer over LUNCH at LAMP, says they aim to feed 150 to 200 people each day; providing them a space to fellowship and build community while receiving a warm meal in a cool space.

“You see them coming together and they are helping each other because we are helping them just with a meal,” Reese said.

Next month, LAMP will highlight the success of its clients who have maintained permanent housing and employment through community partnerships at its anniversary celebration.

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