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A Williamsport ministry serving meals, offering worship, and tutoring in after-school programs is about to get a more climate-friendly environment.

Sojourner Truth Ministries, 501 High St., recently underwent a building evaluation and design of its electrical systems that are sorely lacking and in need of redesign to ensure comfort and safety, reducing fire risk and doing what those at the ministry intend to continue to do.

“We want it to be a place for people to come, not just for food, because we really try to be holistic in our approach,” said the Rev. Angelique Labadie-Cihanowyz, Sojourner Truth Ministries executive director.

“We are a small ministry, but for those who participate in it it is a really big deal,” Labadie-Cihanowyz said. “On a busy day, we might get 110 people that we are serving,” she said. “That is 110 people when the weather is uncomfortable that can stay longer and that means we might be having a conversation that we otherwise might not have so then we can connect them with this person, or meet a need, and hear them.”

The ministry also is set up with snacks and sandwiches for people – if they do not have a next meal – who can come in and choose what is there to take with them.

On the day of the Sun-Gazette tour, later in the day, Amanda Werkmeister, project coordinator from Hunt Engineers, Architects & Surveyors, was among the professionals documenting the upgrade needs.

City Council approved the use of about $150,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for the whole project, according to Valerie Fessler, executive director of the city department of community and economic development. Joining her on the tour of the facility, Austin Daily, housing programs director at the city, who visited in December and followed up recently as the design of the electrical upgrades occurred.

Blistering conditions outside and broiling inside, or freezing in winter months

“There are not a lot of trees on this part of High Street,” the pastor said, adding there are not a lot of places to get inside out of the elements, either.

In summer, sometimes, people bring their children, many of whom have been outside all day.

“They come in just red,” she said.

“We have similar problems downstairs,” she said of the lack of cooling. There are two windows and extension cords were run around the room.

“You just want them to be really cool,” she said, and comfy in the colder and winter months.

Any person in any kind of need can come through the ministry’s welcome door Monday through Friday, she said.

At 10:30 a.m., there is a fellowship time, where those walking in can get something refreshing to drink, or if it is cold outside, a hot beverage to warm them up.

“You will have more people coming in for food,” Fessler said of the use of the CDBG.

funds.

Daily said when he was at the mission in December he noticed children reading books and playing games.

“Folks would get up and walk around and talk to people at other tables,” he said. “They weren’t just here to get their meal – they were here to speak with folks. I think it was a sense of community for a lot of them that – if you are in the elements, in a shelter – you may not have that and this may be an opportunity to have a conversation with somebody, see a happy face, get a laugh, have a minute to relax – it was great to see.”

Most of the mission’s volunteers are in post-retirement.

“We do tend to have cancellations whether it is hot in summer or bitter cold in winter because it is so uncomfortable for them to work here,” Labadie-Cihanowyz said.

The executive director paused for a second and smiled broadly describing how a man who came in said – ‘As long as I can come in and have my coffee with sugar in it I know that I will be okay for that day.’