CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On a cold Monday, the people of Fulton Community Church opened the church doors to all who needed a warm place and a hot meal.
The Fulton community is quiet as people stay inside their homes and out of the cold. For those needing a warm place and a hot meal, a church has made it their mission to help anyone in need during these times.
“We had several people stay last night. We had five people that were in need last, and we had a couple more trickle in throughout the day,” Fulton Community Church member Leanna Reininger said.
Reininger expected those numbers to go up and the temperatures to go down throughout the night.
Leanna is the pastor’s wife at Fulton community church. She tells me the church is the only warming center in the Rockport - Fulton area.
In fact, Aransas County leaders proclaimed the church a community refuge.
“We have a lot of winter Texans that do come into town but there’s also a lot of locals that are living in run down RV’s because of Hurricane Harvey, some people just never recovered from that. You see in the neighborhoods and in the community people who are in need,” Reininger said.
In the neighborhoods are people like Lucas Smith and his mom. Both were picked up and went to stay at the church. Smith said the warming center is the closest to them.
“Since I’ve been here 5 o’clock on Sunday night, I’ve been provided with a meal, and everyone has been nice to me,” Smith said.
Smith said in some cases it helps knowing there are people out there who care.
“If someone is struggling with emotional health, financial help, physical help. I truly believe the church can see and meet that need.” Smith said.
Fulton Community Church does this work out of their own pocket and with the help of community donations. Now, San Patricio County is also doing what they can to care for the people who live in this neighborhood.
San Patricio County Emergency Management reminds people to care for their pets, plants and pipes.
