WS Chronicle

City Council Member Derwin Montgomery will begin serving as the executive director of the Bethesda Center, the city’s largest homeless shelter, on Sept. 22.

He replaces Peggy Galloway, who had served as executive director since August 2010. She informed the agency’s board of her decision to retire in March. According to the agency, a search committee was formed to find her replacement. Galloway says the agency is being left in capable hands.

Galloway

“Derwin has the capacity to lead, to inspire people and to articulate our vision clearly for serving the homeless,” Galloway says. “I am excited that the leadership Derwin brings will be effective, result-oriented and exciting. The good news is he will be working with a Board of Directors that is involved and committed to making a difference for those who are homeless.”

Board Chair Kathryn Milam said, “Derwin comes to us with great qualifications and outstanding connections in the community as well as with an abundance of enthusiasm and caring for the clients we serve. He has big shoes to fill, but I’m sure he’ll make excellent progress building on Peggy’s stellar tenure.” Montgomery represents the East Ward on the Winston-Salem City Council and is the pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church. He will leave his position as Professional Development and Parent Engagement Manager at Family Services, a position he held for a year and a half. He also worked for two years at Winston-Salem State University, his alma mater, in the Department of Housing and Residence Life.

“I am honored to follow in the footsteps of someone like Peggy, who has guided the Bethesda Center well,” Montgomery says. “The Bethesda Center is a vital part of our community, serving clients who often have no other options. I look forward to leading Bethesda into its next chapter of service. I see great things in the future of Bethesda and our clients.”

The Bethesda Center for the Homeless was founded in 1987 and has worked collaboratively for 27 years with other organizations in and around Winston-Salem to provide support services for the homeless. Today, it has become a leader in caring for the community’s most desperate homeless individuals. The mission of the Bethesda Center is to reduce homelessness in our community by providing temporary shelter and support services to adults that result in independent living.