The Daily Tar Heel
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893.
Thursday, March 28, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue

We keep you informed.

Help us keep going. Donate Today.
The Daily Tar Heel

Chapel Hill church looks for love with new big blue van

Many families turned to Grace to attend Sunday services at Varsity Theatre.

“A large part of our congregation on Sunday morning is made up of people that are staying in shelters, on the streets or in the woods,” said Justin Simmons, executive pastor of Love Chapel Hill. “We wanted to make sure that those folks continued being part of our church family.”

Love Chapel Hill partners with the UNC Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health, which allowed the ministry to lend bus services throughout the week.

During her time, Grace the bus made frequent trips to The Farm at Penny Lane, where many clients get treatment for mental illness.

The Farm provides alternative therapy for illnesses. Many of its clients face homelessness and a lack of transportation.

Bryan Ragan, UNC Peer Assisted Wellness Support program manager, said his clients are able to make progress because they are able to get there with Grace’s help.

“They would not be able to participate if not for Love Chapel Hill and Grace,” Ragan said. “The participation allows them to promote recovery, which is something we strive for.”

Church leaders and attendees have offered their own vehicles while the church seeks money for a new van to get families there on Sunday mornings.

“It is a scramble using several people and several vehicles to do what one could do before,” Ragan said.

Sara Neil, a former passenger, said Simmons volunteered his wife’s minivan to pick up Neil’s family for service.

“Being that it was a seven-passenger van, there were multiple trips,” Neil said.

Love Chapel Hill is searching for another used van to purchase; it recently won a $5,000 grant to use towards the vehicle.

Jordan Crabtree, attendee and passenger, is participating in a fundraiser to get the transportation services rolling again.

She helped make jars with flyers to inform people about Grace, hoping they will make a contribution.

Organizers are accepting donations to reach a $20,000 goal.

“I never want to put a limit to what people can do with their generosity,” Simmons said.

city@dailytarheel.com

To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.

Special Print Edition
The Daily Tar Heel's Collaborative Mental Health Edition