CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As the homeless population grows, so does the need for food and clothing, which is why Bishop Community Services is stepping in to help.
Just past the quiet railroad tracks on the west side of town by Main Street, was a small care closet. That care closet opened in 2021 and years later has flourished into what locals might know as Bishop Community Services. It's a thrift store and cooling center whose mission is to help those in need in Bishop.
Veteran Wayne Grant Senior is the co-owner of the non-profit. His compassion for his community was inspired by all the generous people in his life, like his late wife Cindy and his son who also passed away.
"She was always giving back. We started the non-profit in September 2021, when my son drowned in a boating accident. The life insurance came in and we decided to put it into the non-profit...later on my wife passed away and I knew I had to continue her legacy," Grant said.
Bishop Community Services has helped hundreds of families in need with the many services they offer.
All clothing at the thrift store is donation based. The thrift store also offers utensils, supplies, shoes and more.
Free TV dinners are also available for those without a home. They give out over 20 TV dinners a day, which is more than half of what they gave out when they first started.
Services even stretch as far as having a shower and bathroom area, washer and dryer for those needing help with laundry and a cooling center. Bible study is also given once a week for those interested.
"When we serve our country, it doesn’t stop there because we’ve taken an oath to take care of our citizens as well. So service to the citizens in bishop is the right thing for me to do," Grant said.
All services have been funded through grants and help from the community.
Grant hopes to remodel the kitchen area and turn it into a soup kitchen to combat the growing needs of the city. He also plans to start a childrens movie night once a week by the end of the year to continue staying involved in the place he calls home.
All monetary, clothing and supplies donations are welcome. The thrift store is open Mon-Fri from 10:30 a.m-5:30 p.m. The cooling center is open seven days a week from 11 a.m - 6 p.m. Bishop Community Services is located at 301 W Main St. in Bishop.
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