Wellspring of Greenbrier, Inc. will celebrate 10 years of out-reach ministry and service to Greenbrier County this month. The nonprofit organization began Oct. 3, 2004, with assistance from Lewisburg United Methodist Church. Wellspring founders, Scarlett and Fred Kellerman began working from their home, church and automobile for the first year before purchasing their present location at 524 Nicholas Street in Rupert. The building was constructed in 1929, and was originally a Ford dealership with apartments upstairs. Today, the lower floor houses The Wellspring Center where low-income, working poor, and homeless people receive assistance. The upstairs contains seven low-income apartments.
The Wellspring Center offers many forms of assistance including a laundry area, showers, bathrooms, children’s activity center, welcome station, prayer room, meeting area, revolving library, offices, fully equipped kitchen and processing area for clothing, furniture, appliances, house-wares, books, toys and gifts. The center is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday each week and has an all volunteer staff. In addition, the Wellspring Center serves not only as an advocate for the poor, but also supports the community through home improvement projects, free monthly dinners with bluegrass entertainment, support of the Meadow River Community Park and assistance with the Meadow River Watershed Association.
Wellspring was the recipient of the Greenbrier Valley Community Service award in 2012, and has, for the past nine years, been a participant in the Neighborhood Investment Program (NIP) sponsored by the West Virginia Development Office. Through NIP, state tax credits are awarded to donors who give $500 or more to participating non-profit organizations such as Wellspring. For more information regarding NIP or other services provided by Wellspring of Greenbrier, Inc., please call 304-392-2095.
