South Carolina needs to build a stronger network of services and support to prepare for a “new onslaught of homeless” created by a crushing recession and the horrors of war, state Rep. Wendell Gilliard told a group Monday.
The Charleston Democrat called together outreach counselors, government representatives and others at North Charleston City Hall to discuss how best to meet the needs of the Palmetto State’s homeless. After visiting shelters and makeshift encampments, Gilliard said he is troubled by reports that some of the needy are being refused help and that homeless veterans aren’t getting services they deserve.
Gilliard said the state doesn’t even know for sure how many homeless veterans are living in South Carolina. Nationally, it is estimated some 300,000 veterans are homeless. That is shameful in the most prosperous nation in the world, Gilliard said.