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Workshop recognizes clergy’s commitment to area BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Several members of Sumter’s church community were recognized for their dedication to the hospital
and community during the annual Pastoral Care Workshop and Luncheon at Tuomey Regional Medical Center on Monday. The Rev. Kenneth Smith, manager of Tuomey Chap-
laincy Services Department, said the recipients have distinguished themselves from others by going above and beyond helping those in need. Tuomey’s Chaplaincy Ser-
vice Department chooses local clergy who have done outstanding work throughout the community — the hospital, local churches and schools — as recipients of the Pathfinder Award.
Recipients of the Trailblazer Award are nominated by Sumter County Ministerial Alliance, Sumter County Concerned Clergy
SEE LEADERS, PAGE A7
DSS offers food aid to flood victims
PHOTOS BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY / THE SUMTER ITEM
More than 700 people applied for food stamps through South Carolina Department of Social Services’ Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Monday at Sumter County Civic Center. Below, Shevon Anthony, DSS economic services representative, assists Jimmy Richardson, a Pinewood resident, with an application for food stamps.
You can apply through Thursday BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com South Carolina Department of Social Services is offering food stamps to residents affected by the early October floods in Sumter and 19 other designated counties. On Monday, by 1:30 p.m. more than 700 Sumter County residents had applied for the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at Sumter County Civic Center. And there was a line
of people stretching from the building to Liberty Street waiting to apply. The program is a temporary food assistance benefit for households affected by a major disaster, according to Maggie McDonald, director of Sumter County DSS. DSNAP is a one-time benefit provided through an electronic card that can be used to purchase food items at grocery stores and other authorized retailers. To be eligible for DSNAP, a resident must have lived in one of the 20 designated coun-
ties at the time of the flooding, have suffered loss or damage and met DSNAP eligibility criteria, McDonald said. Residents in the designated counties who meet DSNAP in-
come guidelines may be eligible if their household experienced at least one of the following: damage or destruction of home; loss or inaccessibility of income, including a re-
duction in pay or termination of employment; or a significant delay in receiving income because of disaster-related problems, according to Marilyn Matheus, spokeswoman for the department. To qualify for DSNAP benefits, a resident’s income received between Oct. 3 and Nov. 2 is considered, plus his or her accessible liquid resources (cash on hand, money saved, etc.) minus any disaster-related expenses, Matheus said. Applications are typically processed within 72 hours, McDonald said.
SEE FOOD, PAGE A7
Obama calls for more access to 2nd chances after prison BY JOSH LEDERMAN The Associated Press NEWARK, N.J. — President Obama toured a drug rehab and met with former inmates Monday in the roughand-tumble city of Newark, calling on the nation to ensure those regaining their freedom get a second chance instead of a return ticket to prison.
Although his visit boosted his campaign for a criminal justice overhaul, it also pulled the president into a war of words with presidential candidate and GOP Gov. Chris Christie. “There are people who have gone through tough times; they’ve made mistakes, but with a little bit of help, they can get on the right path,” Obama said at Rutgers University’s
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law school. “It’s not too late.” On a gritty street in downtown Newark — a city beset by violent crime and policing challenges — Obama made an afternoon stop at Integrity House, a state-funded drug and residential treatment center. Obama held up the facility as “a model for the good work that’s being done sporadically around the nation.” He also met pri-
Edith Bell Nixon Shawn F. Wright Cleoza Gibbs Sr. Ethel Murphy Annie M. Stukes Eddie Durant Jr. Solomon Porter
The Chancel Choir of Trinity United Methodist Church
David Jasper Jr. James McDaniel Jr. Ruth E. Galloway Sam McCutchen Shirley A. Baxter Joan S. Smith
vately with former prisoners, a parole officer and a federal judge to hear more about obstacles to rehabilitation. Aiming to divert some of Obama’s limelight to himself, Christie spent the day in Camden, New Jersey, where he met with community and police leaders and touted the city as a national
SEE CHANCES, PAGE A7
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to honor the men and women who have fought,
invites you to a concert featuring
The Testament of Freedom (with brass ensemble)
“ who gave us life gave us liberty.” God
~Thomas Jefferson