After Brandon Clark, a homeless veteran, died on June 12 likely from heat-related causes, Nomi Stanton couldn’t stand idly by.
The director of GAP Ministries knew she had to do something.
“A lot of people have ideas, but you have to bring action with the idea,” she said. “Over the past three summers, I’ve held the hands of people who are on our porch with symptoms of heat exhaustion… (this) is a step in the right direction.”
On Wednesday, Stanton brought coolers and cases of water, and Riverside Refreshment brought a pickup truck with cases of water to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office where the water will be taken to the streets to give to people, especially the unhoused.
“I’m in the business of saving lives,” said Richmond County Sheriff Gino Brantley. “Sometimes it’s the small things that make the biggest impact; regardless of what it might seem like.”
Small coolers were placed in patrol cars and larger ones will go on the back of golf carts driven by members of the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) team.
Stanton said Riverside is one of their partner agencies who supplies water for the walking bags GAP Ministries gives to their clients. Riverside is also donating an industrial ice machine to the project so coolers can be filled daily.
Stanton said while clients of GAP Ministries will likely benefit, she said it’s not about GAP but it’s about helping anyone who might need it.
She expressed gratitude to Brantley for answering her call and getting personally involved to help facilitate the initiative.
Anyone who’d like to donate water can call GAP Ministries at 706-722-4408 or the Richmond County Sheriff’s office 706-821-1000.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards, is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award and was named best local writer by readers of Augusta Magazine in 2024 and 2025. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
