Mayor and Council members dine with homeless before CRB meeting
Greensboro City Council members Goldie Wells and Dianne Bellamy-Small
Mayor Yvonne Johnson
Greensboro Mayor Yvonne Johnson and City Council members Goldie Wells and Dianne Bellamy-Small, and members of the Community Resource Board joined us at Grace Community Church for the weekly Wednesday Community Fellowship dinner this week. There were around 200 guests at the dinner, most of them homeless, and many unsheltered.
I heard one of our dinner guests say to another, “That’s Greensboro’s mayor, right there,” pointing out Yvonne Johnson, one table over. “Where?,” his friend asked, skeptically. “Right there,” I said. “It’s really her. And there are two Council members over there.” He smiled and seemed pleased that they were there. I was pleased, too. I really respect and appreciate Yvonne, Goldie and Dianne for their consistent compassion and service to our homeless and low-income friends in the community.
After the dinner, representatives from the Homeless Prevention Coalition of Guilford County met with the mayor, Wells, Bellamy-Small and the CRB to discuss homeless programs which receive funding from the City. (All nine Council members were invited to attend the dinner and the meeting.) I got permission to sit in, and I took a few notes.
At the meeting, HPCGC reps emphasized the importance of emergency assistance funding in preventing homelessness and the potential of housing first programs to end chronic homelessness. Dianne Bellamy-Small suggested using technology to make applying for services easier for homeless and low-income people — for example, sharing application data between agencies so that clients don’t have to visit multiple agencies to fill out eligibility forms, and putting forms online. Dianne also mentioned that she is “working with some of the major players to set up a meeting” to talk about a day center. That is great news — and I look forward to hearing more!
P.S. This is the second time in a month that Mayor Johnson has dined with homeless folks. She also attended a Winter Series dinner at the downtown library in January. Having a mayor share informal dinners and discussions with homeless folks is very cool. 
February 16th, 2008 at 2:43 am
“…I have to note that the African-American members of our council seem significantly more attentive to the needs of the poor and humble than their white counterparts.”
You are not the only one who has noted it.
“I’m happy to hear Dianne is publicly supportive of a homeless day center.”
She said she’s heard from a lot of homeless people that we need a day center here. I wish that all our Council members talked to a lot of homeless people. Dianne is actively involved in serving the poor and homeless in Greensboro. I’m glad she’s focusing on the day center. And I’m with you, let’s keep talking and advocating!
February 16th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Thanks for your informative and moving post. I usually try to avoid revealing my feelings about public officials for the reason that it will color the way people read my reporting, but I have to note that the African-American members of our council seem significantly more attentive to the needs of the poor and humble than their white counterparts.
I’m happy to hear Dianne is publicly supportive of a homeless day center. This is the one cause for which I am foregoing objective reporting in favor of open advocacy. Let’s keep talking it up.
February 14th, 2008 at 6:46 am
[...] Posted by ryan on February 14, 2008 From Michelle at Chosen Fast, “Greensboro Mayor Yvonne Johnson and City Council members Goldie Wells and Dianne Bellamy-Small, and members of the Community Resource Board joined us at Grace Community Church for the weekly Wednesday Community Fellowship dinner this week. There were around 200 guests at the dinner, most of them homeless, and many unsheltered.” Read more here. [...]