Billie Corne doesn't sweat fundraising or the time needed to solicit (and sort) the small mountain of donations that fuel his one-man ministry to provide clothing to the down-and-out of Winston-Salem.
Through his unwavering faith, he figures those things will take care of themselves. He will find a way to keep his mission -- which he calls "Taking it to the Street" -- running smoothly.
Parallel parking is another matter.
Maneuvering the 1984 International model school bus that carries the garments to his regular spot downtown can get a little dicey.
"I pray about it, I really do," Corne said with a smile. "In six years, I've only hit one thing and that was in my own yard. So somebody must be listening."
Serendipity plays a role
Overlooking a white, polka-dotted school bus is easier than you think. Tucked into a spot next to the curb on a small, one-way street near the Campbell Transportation Center, Corne's bus is a lot like the people he faithfully serves -- nearly invisible.
Just about every Tuesday evening, Corne wrestles his bus into his usual parking space just a few hundred yards away from the bustling cafes and bars that dot Fourth Street.
Folks who need a fresh set of clothes know to look for that bus, and they turn out in droves. Climb the three steps at the front door, pick out the items you need and bag them up in plastic grocery sacks. Men, women and more than a few children help themselves.
"We don't want to know how much money you got or how much money your parents got," Corne said Saturday while waiting for donations at Central Terrace United Methodist Church in the city's Southside. "Tell me you need some help and we'll try to give it."
Corne's one-man ministry started simply enough. Heart disease keeps him from working full time, but he wanted to find a way to stay busy. He said he was praying over a germ of an idea to help the homeless when he stumbled across a church whose members had run a mobile clothing ministry. They were looking for a way to move to a different sort of community service, and he was looking to get in.
It didn't take long to strike a deal. They gave him their old bus and a few articles of clothing. Corne was in business.
"I have about $10 invested in the fuel to get it home," he said. "It was a sign from the Lord that it was supposed to be."
Making a difference
For four years, Corne operated by his lonesome. No board of directors, no highly paid CEO or professional fundraisers, no overhead.
Taking it to the Streets was just a guy and his wife, a tired old school bus and a house filled with the clothing he managed to scrounge. About two years ago, he bumped into a member of Central Terrace -- an older church in an older neighborhood -- at a street festival. They got to talking, one thing led to another, and the church membership opened its arms (and storage space) to Corne's efforts.
"One of the unique things is that a lot of the time, (groups) try to get people to the church to get items -- food, clothing, whatever," said the Rev. Bob McLawhorn, the pastor at Central Terrace. "Billie's ministry is the exact opposite. He gets things to where the people are, and we could get behind that."
Corne, who wound up joining Central Terrace, is modest when asked about all he's done with so little.
He figures the monthly cost of his endeavors runs about $150 for insurance and fuel. One man does basic maintenance on the bus, and church members help him collect and sort the clothes.
Besides his regular runs to the bus depot, Corne drives to the Bethesda Center for the Homeless and makes sure he attends the monthly outreach at the Joel Coliseum. He doesn't track how much clothing he's turned over, but estimates that 100 to 150 outfits change hands every time he opens his door.
"I grew up on that side of life," he said. "Not homeless, but I remember going with my family looking for help. I know how that feels, being on the other side of that fence."
ssexton@wsjournal.com
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