WARM providing shelter, resources for unhoused in Augusta County

AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Many people in and around Waynesboro are struggling to find a place to live.

The Waynesboro Area Refuge Ministry (WARM) provides shelter for the unhoused in the Waynesboro, Staunton, and Augusta area.

“in the short run, it keeps them alive,” WARM Executive Director Brian Edwards said. “It’s probably the only setting in Waynesboro and Augusta County, where you have that large congregation of homeless individuals who need all those services.”

Edwards says being homeless can be a result of many different factors.

“It’s never the same. It’s mental illness, it’s trauma, it’s poor financial management, it is drug dependency, everyone’s story is different,” Edwards said.

WARM provides not only shelter, but resources for people experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet.

Edwards says WARM also aims to break down stereotypes regarding homelessness.

“They are just looking for compassion and the basic necessities in life,” Edwards said. “If we can get them out of the situation that they’re in, just taking one day at a time, then we’ve been successful. And you know, and they are very thankful for that.”

In September, WARM will host an open house for anyone in the area to get a closer look at the services it provides.

Do you have a story idea? Send us your news tip here.

Copyright 2023 WVIR. All rights reserved.