LaGRANGE — It feels a little more like home for guests at the Emmaus Day Shelter.

The shelter recently teamed up with volunteers from BB&T bank in LaGrange as Home Depot delivered a new washer and dryer to the center at 312 Greenville St., compliments of associates with the bank.

“We have experienced such an increase in requests for service that having a new partner like BB&T helps so much,” said Jessica David, executive director of the Emmaus Shelter. “The demands on our facilities and equipment are much heavier now … and our dryer was broken. BB&T understood our most pressing need and solved it.”

David said the two groups are committed to working together to improve the quality of life for the guests at the shelter.

Associates with BB&T are also volunteering their time to sort through donated clothing for Emma’s Attic, a retail store that sells clothes as a consignment shop, provides clothing and job training for the homeless, and helps raise funds for the shelter.

“We wanted to work with the Emmaus Shelter because of the great work they do in LaGrange and Troup County, and because of the great need we saw this past winter with so many homeless needing shelter from the cold,” said Kelly McClung, BB&T senior teller. “We’re proud to team up with them and help in any way we can.”

The BB&T volunteers are taking part in the company’s seventh annual Lighthouse Project. The teams each selected a nonprofit agency to assist during May or June to make a positive impact on the lives of people in need. BB&T officials hope their efforts encourage others in the community to volunteer their time and support organizations such as the Emmaus Shelter.

Since the inception of the BB&T Lighthouse Project in 2009, BB&T associates have completed more than 6,600 community service projects, donated more than 325,000 hours in volunteer service and touched the lives of more than 9.7 million people, according to a press release from the company.

Officials with the Emmaus Shelter and BB&T have invited other members of the community to join their work to help Emmaus Shelter continue offering emergency shelter, life-skills development, employment preparation and transitional to permanent housing.

Anyone interested in volunteering or for more information about the Emmaus Shelter may contact Jessica David at 706-883-7471.

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter at LaGrange Daily News. She may be reached at mruberti@civitasmedia.com or 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.