This is the Lenten season and some folks in Hampton Roads are helping the homeless as part of their sacrifice.  I caught up with parishioners and volunteers at Grace Episcopal Church in Norfolk.

They are volunteering this week with the NEST program.  NEST stands for Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team.   The volunteers, which included a group of Norfolk State University students, helped bag up donated personal items to be handed out to the homeless.

They also helped serve food to the 40 some people who were brought to the church by bus.  The needy are brought together by Norfolk’s social services and the NEST program coordinators.    The group that received the food and personal items was very grateful.  Their backgrounds and stories vary.  Some are black, some are white.  Some are young, some are old.  Some are mentally challenged, some are employed but not making enough money to make ends meet.

The NEST program travels to different churches and the church and community members donate supplies and time to make their stay a good one.   Imagine if all of us who are able to, pitched in like this.

The Honorable Reverend Joseph N. Green, Jr. now has a building at T.C.C. named after him.

With family, university officials, residents and city and state leaders,  the administration building in downtown Norfolk was named  and dedicated in his honor on Friday, January 23.

A large portrait of Father Green was also unveiled to be put on display in building’s lobby.

Father Green said today, “I am grateful to my parents for planting the seed of the need and the power of a good education.  I’m grateful to the congregation of Grace Episcopal Church for allowing me to serve them and the city on the school board and the city council.  I’m grateful to this city that accepted my service and used me to help rebuild this great city of Norfolk.”

Father Green was pastor of Norfolk’s Grace Episcopal Church from 1963-1993.  He served on Norfolk city council from 1977-1994 and pushed for providing equal education opportunities for everyone.  He was instrumental in establishing Tidewater Community College’s Norfolk campus, but not without opposition from Norfolk State University.

Father Green is very special to me and my family.  He attended the same college as my grandparents, St. Augustine in Raleigh, NC.  They worked together to bring their college reunion to Virginia Beach every September.  Father Green also baptized and confirmed me at Grace Episcopal church and was always a bright spot in my life who helped me to grow spiritually.   This is the perfect honor for a man who has done so much for so many people- and for the city of Norfolk.

Father Green, we salute you!