New Center for Raleigh's homeless expects hundreds each weekend
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Ten months after volunteers were threatened with arrest for handing out food to the homeless in Raleigh's Moore Square, the mission continues but in a new location that is approved by the city.
Saturday, that new location, the Oak City Outreach Center, opened its doors to Raleigh residents in need.
For many who are helping to make the Oak City Outreach Center a reality, they either feel a calling to help feed the city's homeless, or they themselves have once relied on these types of services.
"In 2007, I re-injured my knee from something that happened while I was in the military, and I lost everything -- my house, my car," said Michael Bishop, who works with homeless vets. "And I ended up coming here to Raleigh from Greensboro and I spent 16 months in the shelter myself."
Catholic Charities is spearheading the efforts at the Outreach Center, along with several other non-profits and various volunteers. Many are the same people who fought to hand out food in Moore Square last year. That's when police started enforcing a rule requiring $800 permits to give out food in city parks after nearby businesses complained of crime and litter.
"Seeing what Raleigh did with this makes me proud to be here," said Hugh Hollowell, who is Director of Love Wins Ministries. "What happened last fall was unfortunate, but what we did is we collectively helped put a mirror up to the city and said 'you're better than this' and the city agreed. And because a lot of people did a lot of work, a lot of people will be taken care of, and that is a good thing."
Between 200 and 300 people are expected to stop in for a meal at the Outreach Center each weekend. And although it just opened, the center is confident people who need their services will find them in the new location.
"You'd be very surprised how good word of mouth is through the homeless community about things that are going on where they are," Bishop said.
For now, it's a temporary solution funded by the city. But eventually, the Center hopes to have a permanent home. Until then, it will still serve food, and something volunteers say is just as important.
"It's very low key," said Hollowell. "We just try to make sure people have a place to go and a place where they can be treated with dignity and respect.
