Southern Christian Mission, 515 W. Monroe in Magnolia, has begun a campaign to replace the 24 beds in the homeless shelter.
The mission said in its recent newsletter that it has received a grant from Cadence Bank, formerly BancorpSouth, to replace eight of the mission’s original wooden beds with new metal beds.
“This will help us alleviate the problem of bedbugs that burrow into the wood and lay eggs. (Bed replacement) was recommended to us more than a year ago when we had a bedbug infestation. That infestation was since been eradicated, but the risk remains,” David Cole, chairman of the SCM Board of Directors, said in the newsletter.
The Cadence Bank grant is a good start, Cole said. Mattresses respond well to treatment to kill bedbugs and new mattress covers will extend their useful life.
“We do hope to move forward in replacing all the wooden beds in our facility but it just is not in our budget at this time. Se we are again reaching out to our loyal contributors,” Cole wrote.
Southern Christian Mission hopes that its friends will “sponsor” new beds at a cost of $101.27 each.
People who can help with this project may mail checks earmarked to the “Replacement Bed Project” and mail them to Southern Christian Mission, 515 W. Monroe, Magnolia, AR 71753.
