People who have reached their wit’s end have found a modicum of relief, thanks to a handful of members at Antioch East Baptist Church.

Women within the church have formed the Whatever It Takes Sisters (W.I.T.S.) Crisis Closet, which was created to help people who have experienced some form of tragedy within their lives.

Peggy Gibson, one of the founding members of the organization, said that the organization itself came to fruition thanks to the efforts of a benevolent stranger.

“(Fellow founding member) Jeanette Thompson came up with the idea, and the Lord put it on her heart that we needed something like this, and she brought the idea to our group,” Gibson said.

“We prayed about it, but we just couldn’t get anything going.  Someone, we do not know who it was, rented us a building and they paid the utilities on it.”

The Crisis Closet is a community effort, thanks to the various businesses that donated much-needed supplies and volunteers who helped clean up the new facility.

The work took an entire summer, with the building being dedicated in September, and the members of Antioch East Baptist Church have been helping those in need ever since.

The Crisis Closet was initially meant to bring relief to people whose houses had burned, providing them with clothing, linens, a variety of housewares, furniture, and whatever the group had available that people could use.

“All of our stuff is donated.  We may not have everything all of the time, but what we have is given to them, and there’s no charge for anything,” Gibson said.

“It’s just our ministry to the people.”

The plan has since expanded to accommodate anyone in need of help, whether it’s someone who is in need of decent clothing for a job interview or simply help in adjusting to life in Greenville.

According to Gibson, no job is too big or too small.

“A crisis to one person may seem trivial to someone else,” Gibson added.

“Whatever comes along in which people need something and we can fulfill that need, that’s what we do.”

The Crisis Closet is also an opportunity to tend to people’s spiritual needs as well as their physical ones, providing emotional support in difficult times that often accompany loss.

Appliances, furniture, housewares and clothing are all fair game for donations to the Crisis Closet, although clothing in particular isn’t needed.

Queen-sized bedding, dishes, flatware, pots, pans and any other kitchen items are of particular interest.

Those interested in donating to the W.I.T.S. Crisis Closet are asked to contact either Jeanette Thompson or Peggy Gibson at (334) 382-6828.