I have always enjoyed walking up to our Wilmington Empowerment Center (WEC) and being greeted by someone sitting on the benches right outside of our well known red doors. Those benches were placed there by Bill Perkins, Friendship House’s first and longest-serving Executive Director, as a place of respite for the weary worker, the tired wanderer, and the fatigued soul. Thirty years later, the benches continued to be used by people to sit with a cup of coffee, chat with friends, and greet staff and volunteers as we entered the red doors to WEC.
Benches are a symbol of community. They are a welcoming place for strangers to sit and exist within a close proximity of one another. They are a place to sit with a friend, read a book, or to simply rest. Every FH location is like a bench: a welcoming place to all.
Our benches outside of our WEC were recently removed by the City of Wilmington’s police department due to an increase of the unhoused population hanging there overnight. Although the loss of the benches is a disappointment, it is what the removal of the benches represents that has me alarmed.
Wilmington is a shrinking city for our unhoused population. I say this because every time a new apartment building is built, a new restaurant opens, or a business revitalizes its storefront, it is one more location where the unhoused are unwelcomed. The number of unhoused community members has increased every year since COVID. For FH, it means more people coming to us for help because as the number of people needing help increases, there are also fewer places for them to be welcomed. It means a need for more benches.
Friendship House has always been an open and welcoming place for anyone, and we are deeply concerned we are at risk of being “moved along”, like our unhoused community members, as the demand for market-rate units and businesses increase throughout our state. We need your help to ensure we are always able to be that open door to anyone in need of support. With your donation, we can continue to provide vital services our community relies on and needs, especially as we continue to advocate for safe, accessible and affordable housing, and equitable policies. Although our state provides services for our entire community, our unique ability to work with our unhoused community members, those who are at risk of losing their homes, and those who are actively rebuilding their lives is needed now more than ever.
With your donation, Friendship House can become that much needed bench to all.