Wilmington woman who regularly feeds homeless hopes for change following ordinance banning sleeping on county property

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Earlier this week, New Hanover County Commissioners voted to prohibit anyone from sleeping overnight on county-owned property.

With the decision still fresh, many people like Missy Joyner are asking questions about what resources are available for the homeless population.

“They don’t have a plan for them. They’re telling them they can’t be on the street, but where are they supposed to go?” Joyner asked.

Joyner spends hours every week in her family’s kitchen preparing fresh, hot meals to bring to the people living on the streets in Wilmington. She typically sets up outside of the library downtown, but following the passage of the new ordinance, she’s finding her regulars in more irregular places.

“People are calling me because I give them my card and they call me on the phone and they’re letting me know where they are,” she said. “I’ve been finding them in places where they shouldn’t be because it’s dangerous, you know? Bears live in the woods, animals live in the woods. Humans don’t have no business out there.”

The ordinance impacts lots of people like Dennis Massa, who lives on the street and has difficulty walking. For the past eight years, he’s taken care of his friend, John, who is unable to use his legs.

“I’ve had six strokes and I walk with a limp, so I’m not really doing that good. I gotta push him and it hurts my back,” Massa said.

For these men, living on the streets isn’t by choice.

“I’d really rather be in a place. I’ve got money. I get $750 a month. So does he. That’s $1400 and nobody can find a place for us to go,” Massa said. “I’ve asked. I can’t find it. I’ve tried hard.”

As for Joyner, she still plans to continue preparing meals to feed the homeless and help care for people like Dennis and John. She’s hopeful more can be done to help them.

“These people belong to God. They don’t belong to the city. They don’t belong to me. They belong to God,” Joyner said. “I pray that God protects them and puts them on the heart of somebody with enough funds to open up a shelter so they can be protected. That’s all.”