A group of freshmen at the University of South Carolina decided to come together in order to assist the homeless population in Richland County by establishing a club named the Columbia Homeless Initiative.
The Columbia Homeless Initiative (CHI) was founded by first-year nursing student Carlie Ellison in October 2024. Ellison said she started the club when she and her friends noticed a neglect of the large homeless population in Richland County.
“There wasn't any organizations on campus that are reaching out and supporting these people who very much need support,” Ellison said.
The CHI collaborates with local organizations that provide volunteer work. The club works with two homeless centers, Oliver Gospel and Transitions, that prioritize keeping the homeless community clothed and fed. Oliver Gospel has its own thrift store open to volunteers and Transitions provides emergency housing to those who are in need. Both Oliver Gospel and Transitions also provide meal services to the homeless population.
The CHI helps both Oliver Gospel and Transitions by contributing to volunteer work. For instance, members have assisted in dinner services and helped sort clothes in the thrift store.
“The goals are to just generally improve the population around the Columbia area’s quality of life, particularly for that of the homeless community,” first-year philosophy and English student John Lester said.
Despite being a small organization, members the group said they feel a sense of fulfillment knowing that their efforts to help the homeless population in Richland County is making an impact.
“It’s a really good feeling to know that I’m actively using my time towards some sort of utility for the community,” Lester said.
First-year chemical engineering student Kabir Zaman said he believes the root cause of homelessness in Richland county is generally due to the housing crisis that has spread across the United States.
“Housing, as a commodity, has led to a lot of people not being able to afford it, and we know that there’s enough housing in the country to house every unhoused person and definitely more than enough funds to provide on training for people as well,” Zaman said.
Ellison said many people have a negative preconceived notion about people without a home and seeks to dismantle the negative view of the homeless population in Richland County.
“I’ve heard so many people say, 'Wow, you’re really brave to go out and (help) these people,'" Ellison said. "And I’m like, 'I’m not brave at all, they're just people.'"
Zaman said some members joined the CHI because Ellison was able to bring people together to establish the initiative.
“Most of us in the organization are friends with Carlie. She heavily encouraged us to join because she had a vision for CHI, and she really wanted it to actually have a change in our community,” Zaman said.
The club encourages a sense of community around Columbia through increasing interactions between students and those without a home to improve Columbia as a whole.
“I just can’t walk away from homeless people without trying to give them something or trying to help them," Zaman said. "They’re people, and you can’t walk away from other people in this world."
As of now, CHI is active and looking for new members who are interested in helping the community in Richland County. The club is made up of about 15 members that typically meet once or twice a week on campus. Members are able to take on flexible hours, and have the decision to completely volunteer on their own.
If students would like to join CHI, the club is available on Garnet Gate where its GroupMe is listed. Students are able to read more information about the organization, its mission and goals.