WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — The Second Chance Center of Hope on Oakland Avenue, a non-profit entity, is holding a Mother’s Day fundraiser to raise money for its local operations.

Candy buckets will be available for sale in a few days for those wanting to make it a “Sweet Day” for their wife or mother, according to director Chiquita Nash. Other fundraisers are also being planned.

Second Chance will lose its city funding as of June this year, according to Nash. Nash said she was asked to meet with the new judge of the Washington Municipal Court, and the judge cut their funding which they used to serve their clients.

Second Chance was a project started by former Municipal Court Judge Victor Pontious, who worked in collaboration with Nash to develop Second Chance to serve the homeless and indigent people of the City of Washington Court House. Nash said that they were getting approximately $4,000 per month to help them operate. In January/February of this year, their funding was cut to $3,000. March /April funding was cut to $2,000, and May/June funding will only be $1,000.

Nash said they will have to rely on fundraisers now that their court funding has been stopped.

“I am not worried, this is God’s place, and God will provide,” Nash said.

Nash said they welcome all donations for funding to continue to provide their services and accept cash from walk-in donors. Checks can be mailed to their 420 W. Oakland Ave. location. PayPal, Venmo and Cashapp donations are also accepted.

The center is no longer able to help financially in emergencies as it was in the past, according to Nash. For example, Nash said that when the police department called regarding a wheelchair-bound elderly lady who got evicted and put out of her residence, she had nowhere to go. Second Chance was able to fund a motel room for her for a few days until she could make other living arrangements.

Second Chance provides daily meals for the homeless, low income, and indigent persons; provides free clothing (through donations from the public), furniture, and household goods; and offers free services such as tax preparation, and other resources to help those who are having a hard time financially. There is a food-insecurity element for those less fortunate, and Second Chance offers resources and gives out food from its pantry when it has the goods available. They will pray with their clients and offer them hope to go on in troubled times, according to Nash. They offer laundry services at their location, and are working toward a newly-constructed shower facility in the building. All these services cost money, and therefore, new donations are being sought, according to Nash.

Second Chance also wants to hold a Craft With Kids event in July.

“Kids can become anything they want to be when they grow up, and need training to become a productive adult,” said Nash.

More information for a Father’s Day fundraiser and Craft with Kids event will be announced at a later date. Contact Second Chance at 740-620-4133 or email [email protected].