Welcome to morganton.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

Morganton.com - Morganton - The News Herald

HomeNewsEntertainmentSportsLifestylesOpinionCommunityWeather Online Tools Jobs | Real Estate | Shopping | Classified

Service transports souls

By Tracy Farnham | The News Herald

Published: November 5, 2009

DREXEL - Souls Harvest Ministry at 3186 U.S. 70 East already uses its church van to help people who need transportation to doctor's appointments, the grocery store and other places.
Now it's helping them get a job.
"We are going to send our van out one day a week and provide transportation to the employment office, to follow up on applications or take them to their GED site for education," said pastor John Smiley.
Souls Harvest Ministry started the new service about a week ago. Already more than six appointments have been scheduled and three people have found and accepted jobs.
"People kept telling me they needed a job, but they didn't have transportation," Smiley explained. "We have something here in the community that can be utilized to help others."
In most instances, getting a job — much less keeping a job — requires reliable transportation.
"It is absolutely crucial," said Chuck Brown, manager of the North Carolina Employment Security Commission office in Morganton. "I think this is an absolutely great idea."
NCESC operates a Job Link Center here where, through cooperative efforts with community organizations, people can get help finding job openings, landing employment or even keeping the job they have, Brown said.
Souls Harvest Ministry is adding to that assistance.
Smiley said he is willing to stay with an individual at NCESC and provide assistance with filling applications or utilizing referrals.
Once someone is hired, Souls Ministry can help with transportation to and from work if needed.
The ministry now has 15-passenger van. Smiley said he would like to eventually get a 26-passenger bus to serve more people.
"We want to get out into the community and get to know the people," he said.
The transportation service is for the whole community, not just for the ministry's members. People who need transportation can contact the church office for an appointment.
Souls Harvest will continue to drive people to doctors' offices and clinics, grocery stores and anywhere else they need to go.
"It all depends on what the needs are in the community," Smiley said.
"Right now I am personally driving it myself," he said. "We are available in the morning or as long as it takes at night."
Souls Harvest Ministry's telephone number is (828) 437-1888.