Amy Chapa, left, Aymee Thompson and Janeal White pass out clothes and toys at Night Strike, Nov. 7, in downtown Beaumont.
UP photo by Josiah Boyd
The hustle and bustle of people setting up tables, preparing booths, and heating up hot bowls of chili filled the air in downtown Beaumont.
More than 100 people gathered in a parking lot on the corner of Liberty and Magnolia streets for a monthly homeless outreach event, Nov. 7, hosted by Night Strike Ministries.
“Night Strike is an outreach program where we pass out hot meals, supplies and the love of the Lord to the homeless in our community,” Sondra Hammond, Night Strike coordinator, said. “Night strike is about helping our homeless neighbors help themselves.”
The local non-profit was created 15 years ago when founder, James “Wesley” Coleman, stopped at a streetlight in Beaumont.
“Wesley was coming home from work when he saw two homeless men asking for money at a stoplight,” Billy Campbell, Night Strike board member, said. “He decided it would be a better idea to grab some burgers and sit and have a meal with them."
While he sat and ate, Coleman asked the men where other homeless individuals stayed in the city, Campbell said.
“The guys told him about the area close to where we are now next to Wiess Park, and the next week he rolled up there with his barbeque pit and passed out hot links,” he said. “After that first Night Strike he got local churches together and started passing out meals, hygiene products, blankets and the love of Jesus.”
Coleman continued to lead Night Strike events until his death in October 2024.
“Night Strike was Wesley’s pride and joy,” Hammond said. “It is important to us that we keep his legacy going, so we are always looking for people who truly care about the issue. Wesley always used to say, ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’”
Night Strike has continued to grow even after Coleman’s passing, Hammond said. “Wesley was the connecting point for a lot of local churches and when he passed, we were a little scared our numbers would start to dwindle, but the Lord provided,” she said. “Over the past year, we have had so many different groups come and support that I had to start going up to them and introducing myself.”
Aymee Thompson, Friendswood junior, led a group of Lamar University Resiliency Think Tank members at the event by passing out diapers, baby clothes and toys.
“It was super awesome to come out and give back to the community,” she said. “Everybody was so kind, and the guests were so grateful for all the donations. It was truly amazing to see the community come together and help show our neighbors that they are loved and valued.”
Think Tank member Amy Chapa, Beaumont junior, said the event was an eye-opening experience and that it felt good to give back to local families.
“I was able to help pass out diapers and wipes to parents who needed them, and that was amazing,” Chapa said. “It was super fun picking out outfits and clothes for their kids and learning more about them.”
Campbell said he enjoys seeing all the new volunteers each month, and he is always happy to see Lamar students show up and dedicate their time.
“There has been a group of Lamar students coming pretty regularly each month,” he said. “They could be anywhere on a Friday night, and they are here with us — that means something.”
Night Strike Ministries is always looking for volunteers, Hammond said.
“If you want to help but can’t volunteer, we are always asking for prayer and donations,” she said. “If you can’t donate blankets or handwarmers, just pray for us.”
Night Strike is held the first Friday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the empty lot on the corner of Liberty and Magnolia streets in Beaumont.
For more information, visit the organization’s Facebook page.