Greensboro officials are showing openness to reconsidering their winter shelter program so that local churches can be more involved in the effort.
The city decided this year to use its funding to expand its Doorway Project to 125 beds. It’s a shift from when local churches partnered with Greensboro to help those in need in 2024.
City officials have said one location would allow a more streamlined approach and cut costs. But Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan said at a City Council meeting on Tuesday that engaging the religious community needs to be reconsidered.
“We asked people to step up, and we had people who stepped up, and they did it thinking that it would be recurring," Vaughan said. "It cost them money to upfit their facilities, and I don't think they intended to do that just for one year.”
Greensboro Urban Ministry Executive Director Brian Hahne helped spearhead the collaborative effort with churches last year. He said they sheltered nearly 100 individuals, with a quarter of that number being moved into permanent housing.
“We had four different locations, so we were able to do, I would argue, better work in smaller locations, sort of like a smaller classroom size," Hahne said. "You can get more done when you're not overwhelmed by high numbers.”
The proposal for this winter, now being reconsidered, is to again partner with local churches and provide 57 beds with case management.
Hahne said he had hoped this discussion would have occurred earlier this year, but that they’re ready and willing to work with the city and business community.
“If this would elevate that to that level, that kind of shared vision and collaboration, I think not only would we do well in the way we operated last year, but I think we could take it to the next level,” he said.
Hahne said discussions with city leadership about moving the proposal forward are ongoing.