Servant Center
Background:
The Servant Center grew out of the Episcopal Servant Center, which was a non-profit organization that Gail Haworth worked at. It had an office new where the Servant Center is now. Eventually, Gail decided that she wanted to run a program to help homeless people. She wanted to work with homeless women, but all of the grant money available in Greensboro at that time was for people who wanted to help homeless men. Someone told Gail about a place in Washington, D.C. called Christ House. She went to visit Christ House and when she came back to Greensboro she was ready to start a transitional housing facility for homeless men with chronic illness. She got the grant money and bought the land between Lexington Ave. and Glenwood Ave., where the Servant Center is now located. The residential building where the men now live was a Drug Rehabilitation Center that ran a residential program. They renovated the building and opened it up in 2000 (I think).
What We Do:
In the Spring of 2000, a Guilford Bonner student explored the possibility of starting a Guilford program at the Servant Center. Guilford's relationship with the Servant Center started during the 2000 Homelessness Awareness Avanti. A group of first year students did a service project at the Servant Center and had a cook-out for the men During the Fall 2000 semester, Guilford students volunteered at the Servant Center one night a week. We played cards and talked with the men. Then, in the Spring 2001 semester, we stared going to twice a week. Nikeena Boyd-Kearsey was designated the staff sponsor.
Guilford students were actively involved with the Servant Center during the 2001-2002 school year. It started in August with the 2001 Avanti program. First year students helped harvest corn and tomatoes from the Servant Garden. They also cooked a meal for the residents and spent an evening playing cards and getting to the residents. During the school year, Guilford students continued to go the Servant Center twice a week.
Contact for 2007-2008 School Year
Student Project Coordinator:
Morgan Kerr mkerr@guilford.edu
Site Info:
Fred Darby
Servant Center
1312 Lexington Avenue
Greensboro, N.C. 27403