The Guilford County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to give the Interactive Resource Center (IRC) in Greensboro $306,000 as part of the county’s effort to make the city’s Day Center for the homeless a 24-hour-a-day seven-days-a-week operation.
The item is expected to be on the Board of Commissioners agenda for approval at the board’s next meeting on Thursday, Dec. 7.
The IRC currently acts as a day center where homeless people can come in, keep warm, take a shower, see job listings, check their email, etc. – however, as part of the effort to address homelessness in Greensboro and Guilford County, the Resource Center is planning to soon provide those services all day and night.
The IRC, which opened about a decade and half ago, is not a shelter with beds, but instead is a place that helps the homeless in the city have access to the resources they need to remain healthy and engaged in society.
Five years ago, homelessness wasn’t considered a function of Guilford County government – it was handled almost entirely by the cities and towns in the county. However, after a massive realignment in the way services for the homeless were funded and administered five years ago, Guilford County took on additional responsibilities and, ever since, county leaders have been working with the cities of Greensboro and High Point to address the problem.
Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Skip Alston has stated that fighting homelessness was his number one priority for 2023; and he said this week that, though the progress wasn’t going as fast as he wished, it was still being made.
Alston said that helping provide funding for the IRC to remain open all day and night will help in that effort.
The IRC isn’t expected to add beds, but being open at all hours will make it a place of comfort and productivity on cold winter nights.
Please keep giving the IRC and Cure the Violence more of our high tax dollars…the homeless who come from around the state (and nation) love Greensboro with all our freebies…and the record number of homicides in October for the city bodes well for us too! This would be considered “highway robbery of tax payers” in the old days but this Council and Commissioners just keep on stealing!!
How many people does Skippy put up in his home??? None. What a hypocrite.
Here we go again. A place where they can go in an keep warm. I am truly touched. How about the lineman who work outside in the heat and cold? How about the men who put shingles on roofs in the heat and cold? How about the construction workers? When will the county do something for the responsible individuals who work daily? Other than raise our taxes I can’t think of anything. Skip, I’m sure your big house has some extra empty rooms. If fighting homelessness is truly your number one priority then open your door.
No beds necessary, just drop by skips plantation on Vandalia Rd and sleep in his tiny houses out back or in his garage. You’re always welcome
The lack of empathy by the above comments really gets to the heart of the Republican Party….not very Christian is it?
Should I suppose that the headline that republicans want would read something like “Greensboro ignores it’s homeless as they suffer in the streets”?
Then I’ll send YOU my tax bill.
How many did you invite to your house for Thanksgiving chris.
The homeless are receiving incentives to continue their way of life. Tax dollars should not be used to help sustain a way of life that is counter to the public interest. Christians believe if you give a person a fish, he will eat for a day. Teach a person to fish, he will learn how to feed himself. Unfortunately, our society expects so little from the homeless, even more so if they are drug-addled. Democrats find it easier to give tax dollars they did not earn rather than to solve a problem.
So, Chris, what have you done to house and feed the homeless other than to support the continuation of a policy that continues to keep the homeless, homeless?
Skippy- why not hire the homeless and teach them a trade? Send them to school to learn a trade, hire them as county employees to earn a descent wage, benefits and pride. You keep sending freebies, why should anyone work? If they have mental issues then assist them in a place they could receive help. Truly not complicated. Our commissioner’s look for a bandage instead of a cure.
Yep— advertise and they will come. An easy target indeed.
Aaaaaaaand they validate my point exactly.
I can maybe help 1 or 2 people personally but with collective tax dollars we can help all of them. Thankfully we have good people in office that understand that better than the haters on the sidelines.
I can’t believe you people. Helping the homeless should not be a political issue. They don’t have a home address so they can’t get welfare. They are not receiving any of our tax dollars. And they probably can’t vote, which is too bad because they would most definitely vote some of you out of office. And you call yourselves Christians. Most of these people can’t get jobs because of their circumstances. And they are not all drug attics or alcoholics. I have met and mingled with some of them and they are good people for the most part. I brought protein snacks down on East Market St and handed them out. They were so appreciative. I have a back seat full of warm clothes and a few winter coats I am delivering today. So stop bitching about this issue and do something to help solve it.