The Greensboro City Council has adopted changes in the City ordinance governing begging and panhandling. Sec. 20-69 will be amended as follows: Sec. 20-69: Place Any person who begs or solicits alms for his or her personal gain when the person is in any of the places listed below is … > read more
UPDATE: The amendments to the panhandling ordinance passed unanimously. Tonight, the Greensboro City Council considers significant revisions to the ordinance governing public soliciting, begging and panhandling. The proposed changes would result in a de facto ban on panhandling in the downtown area, and would strictly limit panhandling throughout the rest … > read more
Losing someone I love to addiction. Powerless to stop it. Feeling helpless, heartbroken, lonely and lost. I hate addiction. Help me, LORD.
On Tuesday, April 7th, the Greensboro City Council will consider a proposed change to the panhandling ordinance, limiting the hours to 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. The current ordinance doesn’t specify hours, it prohibits panhandling after sunset. If Council approves the change, panhandlers will lose some hours of begging time … > read more
Homeless people are having difficulty accessing substance abuse treatment in Greensboro. Many have told me that they’ve called or visited Guilford Center, the county mental health agency, and just been given the phone number for Bridgeway, the county treatment center. But when they call Bridgeway, they get a recording telling … > read more
I have literally lost track of the number of alcoholics and addicts I know who have used their disability checks, utility checks and food stamp cards to get alcohol and drugs. I have concluded that putting any kind of benefits check or a food stamp card directly in the hands … > read more
About a year ago, chronically homeless people in Guilford County began moving from the street into permanent housing, with the help of housing support teams, as part of a state-funded pilot program. Dozens of my homeless friends have moved into housing. That is great and exciting, and I am thankful. … > read more
The Guilford County Substance Abuse Treatment Center, run by Bridgeway, has passed a state inspection and will be able to start admitting new clients again within 10 days.  Admissions were suspended last month when inspectors found violations at the facility. This is great news and I’m very glad to hear … > read more
From Guilford Center news release,* 08/20/2008: The Guilford Center received notification on August 15, 2008 from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR), Mental Health Licensure and Certification Section, that the Guilford County Substance Abuse Treatment Center at 5209 West Wendover Avenue, … > read more
Blankets, clothing and other items left out in the open by homeless people who sleep outside at Grace Community Church are stacked beside the dumpster a few days before it’s scheduled to be emptied, giving them a chance to retrieve their things. My church, Grace Community on West Lee Street, … > read more