Hymns were sung and prayers were read as members of the Inter-Faith Council gathered on Monday to remember the homeless who died in the past year.

The gathering took place at the Peace and Justice Plaza in downtown Chapel Hill. The ceremony was short but powerful. A list of names of those who died struggling with homelessness in the past year was read.

Afterwards participants enjoyed hummus and falafel as they shared why they came. “We are here to honor to lives of those who have died because of homelessness, to recall their humanity and recall that they were created in the divine image,” said Jen Feldman, Rabbi at Kehillah Synagogue. She was one of the organizers of the event.

The memorial was held on the winter solstice to mark the longest night of the year. The cold winter months are difficult for the homeless community and services during this season often become strained.

The Inter-Faith Council works with the homeless in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The Community House on Martin Luther King Boulevard is the focus of this work. The Community House opened in September and replaced the former IFC center on Rosemary Street.

The Community House hosts up to 52 men in long-term programs, as well as emergency housing when the temperature drops below 40 degrees. The IFC also sponsors the program, Homestart, which helps homeless women and children in the area.

A rise in the cost of living in Chapel Hill over the last decade has put more pressure on the homeless, according to Mike Reinke, executive director of Inter-Faith Council.

“Housing prices have gone up, which means that rental prices have gone up,” said Reinke, “which means that if you’re on a fixed income, if you’re working part-time or only able to find seasonally work then you’re not able to find housing.”

In addition to simple things like making donations, Reinke offered some more ideas on how to help the homeless.

“What do we need to do as a community? We need to do advocacy to talk about how important it is that everybody in our community is supported, healthy and strong,” said Reinke.

“[Those] whose stories often times are forgotten, they disappear, and we don’t want anyone to disappear,” said Reinke. “Our community is stronger as the sum of its parts, not just the parts that we see that look pretty but all of us together. Hopefully today we have a slightly stronger community and a better community.”

Related Stories
‹
IFC Holding Public Meeting on Proposed Good Neighbor Plan Changes
The Inter-Faith Council for Social Service currently operates a 52-bed transitional housing facility on Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard. But IFC leadership is proposing several changes to the Good Neighbor Plan that was agreed to when the facility was approved in 2012. Some of the changes are aimed at using alternate terminology, eliminating redundancies and […]
IFC Shelters Preparing Extra Space for Cold Nights
Temperatures are expected to drop into the mid-20s overnight from Tuesday into Wednesday. And it will feel much colder than that thanks to a frigid wind chill. These temperatures are highlighting a need at local shelters as they work to accommodate as many individuals as they can during the cold. When the temperature drops below […]
Chapel Hill Officials Consider New Purpose for Old Town Hall
The old town hall in Chapel Hill has hosted the homeless for years, but municipal officials are mulling over plans to repurpose the historic building. A committee was established last year to brief the Chapel Hill Town Council on potential uses for the property, which will soon be left vacant. Megan Dale, a municipal analyst […]
Nonprofit Meal House Approved in Carrboro Despite Objections from Local Businesses
A plan to expand a social services outlet near the center of Carrboro has been approved by town officials, but local business owners claim that the expansion may create problems. Those claims were presented last week to the Carrboro Board of Alderman by Nathan Milian, who spoke on behalf of over 20 commercial tenants in […]
Inter-Faith Council Completes Fundraising for Homeless Shelter
The Inter-Faith Council for Social Services, or IFC, has announced they have now raised the money necessary to completely fund a new homeless shelter for men at 1315 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in Chapel Hill.
Dropping Temperatures Force The Homeless Inside
Most residents of Chapel Hill and Orange County probably do not think much about the homeless problem because this is not a big city like New York, Atlanta or even Charlotte. But there are still homeless people around the area, even though it is rural.
GUIDE: Where to Find Food Resources In Orange and Chatham Counties
Here's our guide to where residents in both Orange and Chatham can find food assistance and services as SNAP funds run dry.
Orange County Shares Homelessness Data, Resources and Strategies During Town Hall
To gauge interest and start a dialogue among residents, the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness held a town hall on Sep. 11.
UNC Marks 2 Years Since Zijie Yan's Fatal Shooting With Memorial Bench Dedication and Lecture
UNC leaders and the applied physical sciences department held a memorial event Thursday for the two-year anniversary of Zijie Yan's death.
A 9/11 Anniversary Tradition Is Handed Down to a New Generation
At the 9/11 memorial at ground zero, some names are read out by children or young adults who were born after the strikes.
›