“Greensboro Public Library (GPL), NC, is a good example of how programming to serve the homeless and low-income users can be sustained by vital partnerships and a strong commitment to service. It also demonstrates the importance of listening closely to the program’s target users. Every Monday from December to March … > read more
A homeless man, Ronald Wrenn, was hit by a car on Friday night while crossing South Eugene Street on his way to the Salvation Army Center of Hope’s emergency overflow night shelter. He died shortly afterward** at Moses Cone Hospital. I found out just after it happened from our church’s … > read more
Tonight was the Food Not Bombs dinner at the HIVE. A lot of the people who eat at the FNB dinners are homeless, and some are formerly homeless. Tonight, one of my formerly homeless friends came and brought her daughter. They went in the kitchen and got out the biggest … > read more
On Thursday afternoon, I went by to see friends on the block, at Lee and Eugene, and to let them know about dinner at the HIVE. One of my friends asked for help for his friend, who had just gotten out of the hospital. He’d had major surgery, and then … > read more
Random thoughts and updates for this week: 1.) I’m very thankful for the “housing first” initiative that is moving chronically homeless people from the street to permanent housing, but… I’m growing increasingly frustrated with the all-too-frequent staff and program changes among community support providers, as well as the limitations of … > read more
Amanda Lehmert at the News & Record writes about the efforts of homeless residents, advocates, politicians and providers to create a homeless day center in Greensboro. City Council member Dianne Bellamy-Small, Liz Seymour and Tim Hutchinson from Food Not Bombs, Jehan Benton from Partnering to End Homelessness, and I discussed … > read more
Armed with stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs, medical staffers from the HealthServe Community Clinic paid a visit to this week’s Winter Series at the downtown library. While diners enjoyed the vegan meal prepared by members of Food Not Bombs, they also had the chance to talk with a nurse and … > read more
Last night, Guilford County Commissioner Paul Gibson brought a group of County service providers to meet with about 100 homeless Greensboro residents at Grace Community Church. This was a follow-up to a meeting Gibson arranged last week between County staff and a smaller group of homeless folks as part of … > read more
Today was the second “Government Official Day” for the Winter Series, a collaboration between the Greensboro Public Library and Food Not Bombs, which includes a meal and weekly program. Many of those who participate are homeless. Tonight, Guilford County Commissioner Paul Gibson, and Greensboro City Council members Dianne Bellamy-Small (District … > read more
In her post, “Talking Trash,” Liz Seymour asks: “Which is more important: feeding hungry people or the law? If you ask yourself the question over and over again it becomes like that little place on the wall where the paint has buckled. Curious, you pick at the bubble one day … > read more