According to a report released today, Greensboro’s seven winter emergency shelters collectively hosted 205 people between 12/01/2009 and 03/31/2010. Some demographics about those who stayed in Greensboro’s winter homeless shelters this year: 55 women 150 men 13% age 18-30 years (youngest 18) 72% age 31-55 years 15% 56 years or … > read more
PRESS RELEASE Jehan Benton-Clark For Immediate Release 336.553.2715 (O) 336.215.1295 (M) Jehan@PartnersEndingHomelessness.org State of Homelessness in Guilford County Guilford County, NC—March 22, 2010– Homelessness has become a national issue of significant proportion with over 300 cities and counties across the country implementing plans to address this human tragedy. In Guilford … > read more
Totals for the 2010 Guilford County homeless count (part of the annual, nationwide HUD count) were reported to the state and available on the web as of March 12th, as reported here at ChosenFast.com. Those numbers were officially released to the media today: On any given night, 1,064 people find … > read more
Quote from a homeless man, who’s lived in shelters: At the shelter, there’s no one to share the bad or the good. “I had a job interview today” or “I heard from my children.” If you say that, the staff looks at you like, “What?”
“Can you please get me some boots? I need to get these feet off the ground.” — Alexander, homeless in Greensboro At homeless camp, with four guys: “How many of y’all need new boots?” Answer: “We could probably all use some.” “I’ve had these a while.” Understatement. Would you like … > read more
I wasn’t surprised to learn that there’s a homeless refugee in Greensboro. But I am surprised to hear that he’s the first. Soe Win, 56, arrived in 2007 to be resettled by Lutheran Family Services. Now destitute and suffering from a breakdown, he arrived in mid-November at the homeless day … > read more
Jeri Rowe writes about the life and death of James Roscoe Davis, a homeless man I first met at a Wednesday night dinner at Grace Community Church, years ago. The Roscoe I knew was chronically homeless, mentally ill, addicted. Rowe’s article revealed the Roscoe I never knew — the real … > read more
I wrote about the guys on the block (and more) for the News & Record: “When there’s nowhere to go,” by Michele Forrest; published Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. It’s online here, and reposted below: My ministry partner, Audrie Keen, and I provide a street outreach to the homeless in Greensboro, … > read more
Good editorial in today’s News & Record: “Clearing out The Block”: Greensboro police last week stepped up loitering enforcement and effectively cleared the place known as “The Block.” Just like that. Through a series of 30-minute patrols, officers shooed away the clusters of mostly men who routinely gather at the … > read more
A friend contacted me yesterday to tell me that police were no longer allowing people to stand on “the block,” a well-known and long-time gathering spot at the corner of Lee and Eugene Streets near the homeless shelter, soup kitchen and health clinic. Traditionally, most of the people who stood … > read more