KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Salvation Army is asking for assistance to better help people in need, particularly at the William Chamberlin men’s hostel on Peter’s Lane in downtown Kingston.

The facility, which currently serves as a shelter and a source of meals for the homeless, is in dire need of renovation.

Administrator of the hostel, Major Selbourn Oates said that improvements need to be made at the facility, which can currently accommodate about 35 people.

“We really need the help, especially to the bathrooms and the kitchen where we serve food to the people.”

“We received some tiles from Food for the Poor to help with the renovations but that’s it,” he added.

Oates said that the Salvation Army would like more help from outside organisations in order to push employment initiatives for the homeless people.

“We want to give jobs to those persons who are capable of working and help them get jobs, if it’s even to cut grass and power wash buildings,” he explained.

In order to supplement the running of the hostel, Major Oates said the Salvation Army rents about six rooms as shops.

One shop tenant, Mark Powell said he has been renting space to do his phone repair business for about nine months and has another shop in the building for about a year-and-a-half.

“I pay about $5,000 per week for the space, other shops may pay $3,000 per week, it depends on the size,” he explained.

Major Oates said funds from the shop rentals go towards supplementing utility bills and to pay Salvation Army workers who are not volunteers.

Deandra Morrison