Posted on December 21st, 2008 in homelessness
If you’re in Greensboro and you’ve signed up for winter shelter at the HIVE, First Presbyterian or Grace Community, but you haven’t come in yet, tonight’s the night to come inside. The forecast temperature for tonight (Sunday, Dec. 21) is 19 degrees and tomorrow night (Monday, Dec. 22) is 20 degrees. Wind is forecast for both nights. That is dangerously cold weather. Please come inside. I understand that there are many reasons that some of our homeless friends choose not to come to a shelter. But when weather is this cold, your choice becomes much more urgent. Emergency overflow shelter is also open at Salvation Army and Greensboro Urban Ministry. Please, please, come inside.
Read more on Frigid weather warning: Please come inside…
The Salvation Army Family Store in Greensboro (I still call it the thrift store, but I’m not supposed to) used to have a connection with a mattress manufacturer that donated mattresses that had been used as displays in showrooms (like at the furniture market) or ordered by customers and returned (unused.) Although the mattresses had not been slept on, they were not technically “new,” so they were put into a special trailer where they were heated to a sanitizing temperature. (I think I’m explaining that right.) Then the mattresses were sold at the Family Store at a fraction of their original price. One of my relatives bought a king-size, pillow-top mattress set for $200. The retail value was in the thousands. (They love the mattress.)
Recently, during one of our street outreaches, one of the guys asked if I knew anyone who could help with his rent, because he and his girlfriend had some financial setbacks and were about to be evicted and become homeless. They had already been to all of the financial assistance sources that I knew of, and I didn’t know any other options for them. So all I could offer them was the hot food that we were serving — realizing how inadequate that was for their more pressing need.