Local Public Library receives grant for friendship benches in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – An international initiative to help people struggling with mental health crises and other issues is coming to Lowndes County.
The Columbus Lowndes Public Library received a grant to place 10 Friendship Benches around the area.
Six of the benches will be placed at Community Centers in the county, and four will be placed around the City of Columbus.
The grant includes training for volunteers to be listening partners who can serve as what the Friendship Benches organization calls community health workers.
They will be available at the benches at specified times, and can work with people experiencing mental health and other issues, and point them to available resources in the community if necessary.
The volunteers and the benches can serve as a bridge for people who may not know where to turn.
“So, it could be anything from the homeless to suicide prevention, any of those. These are not licensed professional counselors; however, they will be trained by licensed professional counselors. And, just give somebody an ear, and these people will have volunteer hours that they sit at those benches and can meet with any community partners that would like to come sit and talk with them about whatever issues they may have,” said Lowndes Co. Supervisors President Trip Hairston.
The county will help the library system install the benches.
