“The winter emergency — or WE — network of seasonal shelters for the homeless will expand this year to include the downtown YWCA building as a consolidated women-only site. The spaces in the existing locations will be assigned only to men — opening up another 12 beds for men.”

Good news!

“Last winter, 110 participants were assigned shelter beds. That number is expected to increase to at least 123 beds this year. Last year, the men’s spaces stayed full, but the women’s sites were never full. The locations are for adults only, which keeps out women with children.”

Not so good news.

>> Read all of “Beds added to aid needy this winter” at News-Record.com

As always, lots of homeless folks will choose to stay in their camps during the winter. If you’ve worked hard to build a camp (some have mattresses, furniture, showers, camp stoves, etc.), you don’t want to go to a shelter for the winter and have to leave all your possessions, which likely wouldn’t be there when you got back, if you did leave. NightWatch, StreetWatch and others will continue to do outreach to unsheltered homeless people during the winter.

Please consider making a donation to help fund winter shelter in Greensboro. Contact Greensboro Urban Ministry at 336-271-5959 to learn more.

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 older (oldest 67)

• 75% black
• 21% white
• 5% other

• 25% chronically homeless (unaccompanied disabled individual who has been continuously homeless for over one year)
• 11% veterans (23)

• 56% cited unemployment as the cause of their homelessness

The men’s winter shelter locations (# of people sheltered):

• First Presbyterian Church (20)
• Pleasant Garden Baptist Church (20)
• West Market Street Methodist Church (15)
• Mt. Zion Baptist Church (15)
• FaithStep Ministries (11)

The women’s winter shelter locations (# of people sheltered):

• Grace Community Church (15)
• First Baptist Church (10)

» Read more about the operation of the shelters in “Press Release, Report on 2009-10 Greensboro Urban Ministry Winter Emergency (WE) Shelters”

Thoughts from a friend:

“Usually the cop would do the opposite of that. They wouldn’t stand there and watch you and make sure you’re alright. They’d run you away… [The youth are] gonna be there with all their friends, in one spot. They’re in a fenced-in area. That ain’t nothing like being homeless… I understand what they’re trying to do and instill in their minds, but that’s not how it is.”

So, to recap: Youth groups are sleeping outside at the church on Friday night to raise awareness of homelessness, but if actual homeless people try to sleep there on any night, they can be charged with trespassing.  Isn’t that… well, kind of wrong, somehow??  (OK, I’m trying not to get stuck in “justice mode”…  moving on… )

The great part: While these young people probably won’t have their own authentic experience of homelessness on Friday night, they will have a unique opportunity to focus their time, their energy, their thoughts and their hearts on some of the realities that our homeless brothers and sisters face every day.  This could be a life-changing event for the participants.  I’m praying for all: for eyes to see and ears to hear, and for God to grow in them His own heart for the poor.  Go and be a blessing to the homeless in Greensboro and around the world!

Update: This event was planned to take place in a park, but when the location didn’t work out, New Jerusalem asked Grace if they could do it there.  Grace said yes and their youth were also invited.  I posted about this because I found irony in doing a homeless simulation in which people did things that homeless people actually can’t do.  But I very much appreciate their desire to raise awareness of homelessness.

People I know at New Jerusalem are very involved in local homeless efforts, including the day center, housing for chronically homeless people, the homeless coalition and the partnership to end homelessness,  and they’ve told me that homelessness is a priorty for their church, as well.  Grace has focused on serving the homeless for many years, and current ministries include: Grace currently provides a weekly meal for 200+ people; a HUD voucher program that houses the homeless; and winter shelter for women.