Oasis Of Kingsport Celebrates Five Years

“Have you eaten today? Do you have clothes? Do you have a place to sleep?” These are questions they ask daily at The Oasis of Kingsport, a day center that serves homeless and low-income women with the goal of helping them to achieve self-sufficiency. The Oasis is inviting the community to come out June 22 for a free cookout meal, free music, kids’ activities, and information about the important work they and more than 20 community partner organizations are doing in the city. The center, which is Christian-based and located on East Sullivan Street, offers a variety of services, from showers and laundry to counseling to classes that range from nutrition and crafts to job skills and resume-building to Bible study. Class participants are also awarded points they can redeem for household items like cooking pots and towels – and, at a few special events each year, have the opportunity to receive items like bras, food boxes, and cosmetics. But the effort is much broader than helping homeless and low-income women with basic services, says Director Shantell Bogle; the aim is a wraparound of help and encouragement to give these women a hand up to help them get back on their feet – and under a stable roof. “We kind of walk with these women to mentor them and go through the stages of life with them, including providing them classes and things like that that give them emotional and spiritual support,” Bogle says. “We are able to have some success to get people out of those situations.