North Carolina Newspapers

% _MBU5 UBSARY Of _____ :sss.». ... . *piip pn&m |TTP PACT riisiSsT MjSMASssjjSfton andMMwXcJBLXi vjxi.jnLXi.Xi f X XX* X^vJO X bL^conTumers CALL 376-Q49ft_“ IU.H t.2SM Hliarlotte’s Fastest Growing Community Weekly” L——■ ^E^ l - — Members of Ebony Group and Company, Sammy Stevenson, Linda Foxx, Orlando Shane, Jane Bellamy and Jimmy Riddick. by Eileen Hanson Special to The Post Charlotte's first a 11 - c i t y Kwanzaa brought together several hundred people, young and old, in a celebration of black culture and reaffirma tion of commitments to family and the community. Drawing 100 to 200 people each evening from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, special programs held in area churches and commun ity centers focused on the 7 principles of Kwanzaa. an Americanized version of an African thanksgiving festival. Atffhate* d f (<« A'Tro American Culture Center gave cultural presentations, awak j - ening concent for black arts. Children sang and danced and' heard tales of olden days from Africa and slave times. Falling between Christmas and New Years, Kwanzaa was conceived not as an alternative WASHINGTON—A re cent study shows most families getting food stamps have little or no savings and do not own a home or a car, Asiiatant Secretary of Agriculture Cirol Tucker Foreman said today. The study, by the depart ment’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), compared food stamp users with other low-income households and with households at higher income levels. M According to our analy sis,” Foreman siad, "food stamp households have fewer assets than other households of equally low incomes who do not receive food stamps, and far fewer assets than the average American family.” According to the study: —Six out of ten food sump families have no savings—and nearly aO food sump families had savings of less than SI.300. By contrast. 9 percent of non-food stamp families have no savings—and two thirds of these families have savings exceeding $1,300. -One-third of food stamp famiiss own a car, while 60 fjk percent of low-income households who do not get food Stamps own can. —Twenty-nine percent of Those fortunate enough I escape drowning during t» swimming season will now n the risk of skating on thin ic perform from ‘‘God’s Trombone” at the McCrory YMCA Kwanzaa program. (Photo bv: Eileen Hanson) p Charlotte s First All-City j r Kwanzaa Attracts Large Crowds > to Christmas, but as a time for community thanksgiving, re flection and rededication to the 7 basic principles. Highlight of the week was the New Year's Day recogni tion of seven members of the black community chosen for their contributions to the K. w a n z a a principles: City Councilman Ron Leeper (un ity), community leader L. C. Coleman (self-determination), librarian Allegra Westbrook (collective work and responsi bility). businesswoman Myrtle Heath and her family (coope rative economics), community worker T. J. Harshaw (pur pose). poet-artist T. J. Reddy (creativity), and youth worker Anita Stroud (faith). Ms. Stroud, who has worked with children for 55 years, challenged the youth to “be somebody, go get your edu cation.” i nere were many challenges made during the week-long , program, and several were tak- j en up with commitments for ( on-going work. I According to Kwanzaa co- , ordinator. Joice Burwell. one of the most challenging proj ects is to bring the Schamberg collection of black culture from New York City to a permanent home in North Carolina. "These writings and paint ings of black Americans date back to the Hth Century.. They are priceless.” said Bur well. She hopes to generate national support for the proj ect. Rev. James Palmer of Uni versity Park Baptist Church offered space to establish an evening program to improve children's reading skills. To develop economic strength. Kwanzaa participants were encouraged to consider group investments in business ventures and to become in volved in the Charlotte Busi ness League. However, it was black cul ture that predominated the Kwanzaa celebrations. "Black people are aoi'e to create in the midst of the most dehumanizing circumstances and still have spirit about liv ing and producing." said T. J. Reddy on accepting his plaque for creativity. Reddy is cur rently in prison as a member of the Charlotte 3 case and internationally recognized as a prisoner of conscience. in summing up me Kwan zaa experience, coordinator Burwell said, “The community response far exceeded our ex pectations. Mrs. Elizabeth “Libby” Randolph Named “Woman Of The Year” Mrs. Elizabeth “Libby" Randolph hasT>een'named WBT Radio’s 1978 Woman of the Year. The announce ment was made today by Cullie M. Tarleton, Vice President and General Manager of WBT/WBCY, at the annual award lunch eon held at the Charlotte City Club. Nominated by the Alpha Lambda Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Soror ity, Mm. Randolph was i selected by the former Wo men of the Year who serve as sole judges for the award. I She becomes WBT*s 24th | Woman of the Year, f Cited for her contribu x tions aa an educator and t humanitarian, 1978 saw ► Mm. Randolph elevated to y Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Pro g gram Development in the C Charlotte • Meckl enburg g School System. Guided by ie her past experieace as n d teacher, principal and As I. sistant Superintendent, Mrs. e, Randolph brought to this post sn unswerving commit ..Associate 9u0erintenden ■Mai 4* fwKty education and a genuine concern for the welfare of the student. These (wo goals were also central to her 1978 role as national President of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Develop ment. Mrs. Randolph pro vided exemplary leadership for this prestigious organ ixation and, in so doing, focused national attention on the achievements of the Charlotte • Mecklenburg Schools. inuring tne past year. Mrs. Randolph was also a member of the National As sociation of Administrative Women in 1 Julian Price Place, Charlotte, North Carolina 28208, Phone: 704/374-9720 Education, the Committee for the State Evaluation of Teachers, the Hospital Authority and the Board of Christian Educa tion of First Baptist Church. Additionally, she served as National Parlia mentarian for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Mrs. Randolph's other 1978 honors include the Founder’s Graduate Award and the Educator of the Year Award from the local chapter of Phi Delta Kappa A native of Raleigh, Mrs Randolph is a graduate of Shaw University and holds an M.A. from the Universi ty of Michigan. She was married to the late John D. »~r.doloh WBT’s previous woman of the Year Award recipi ents are: 1956—Mrs. Mar tha Evans. 1966—Dr. Bon nie Cone, 1957—Mrs. J. Z. Watkins, 1966—Mrs. Em est B. Hunter (deceased). 1959— Mrs. David Wallas 1960— Dr. Elizabeth Cork ey, 1961—Mrs Charles Tillett, 1962—Mrs Oaylo Rogers, 1963-—Mrs. L E. Barnhardt, 1964— Mrs Ruth Easterling, 1965—Mrs. Luther Kelly, 1966—Mrs. C T. Wanzer, 1967—Mrs Ernest Franklin (deceased), 1966—Mrs. Carlton Wat kins, 1969—Dr. Jonnie Me I .end, 1970—Mrs. Edvth Winningham, 1971 — Mrs Jacqueline Hairston, 1972— Mrs. Sarah Bryant. 1973 Mrs. Julia Maulden, 1974 — Mrs. Margaret, W. Rav, 1975— Mrs. Elisabeth Hair, 1976— Mrs. Kathleen Cros by, 1977—Mrs. Ann D Thomas RE AD THESE FEATURES Dental Hints .Your Health Sports Beat What’s Happening Study Shows Food Stamp Recipients Have Few Assets families getting food stamps own their own homes, compared to two-thirds of the families not on food stamps. —The homes owned by food stamp families have an average value half that of the homes owned by families not receiving food stamps. The study found that the assets limits have limited the number of persons eligible for food stamps. Between 3 and 6 million households with incomes low enough to meet the food stamp income test were made ineligible by the resource tests prescribed under the Food Stamp Act of 1964. This is likely to change appreciably under the Food Stamp Act of 1977. This would indicate that the resource test is already a highly significant factor in limiting the eligibility of low income households,” Fore man said. Under the 1964 Act, a household could not have more than SI,500 in liquid assets, or mom than S3.000 if the household contained elderly persons. The 1977 law updated the assets limit to SI,730, but counts the fair market value over S4.500 ef any car not used to produce income as i assets. Hoiisenoids witl elderly persons may continus to have up to S3,000 in assets Data for the study weri drawn from several sources The principal aources wen the U.S. Cenaus Bureau’ Survey of Income am Education, the Bureau o Labor Statistica’ Consume Expenditure Survey and th Food Sump Program Houat hold Characteristics Surve conducted by FNS. Copies of the study, “ Asae of Low-Income Household An Analysis of Existin o Dau”, are svailable from tl c Office of Policy, Planning ai n Evaluation, FNS, U.J > Department of Agricultui Washington, D.C., 20230. Holman: Next Move For Blacks Will Be Congress Nutrition Programs For Elderly Will Be Cutback by Susan Ellsworth Post Staff Writer Federally funded nutrition rograms for the elderly in lharlotte will be cut back in 979, despite a slight increase :i the money allocated for teals. While the funding has tcreased the number of meals as decreased due to inflation nd the rising cost of food. The program will receive a [unimum of 38.5 cents a meal n donated foods orcash ssistance during the current iscal year, according to Assistant Secretary of kgriculture Carol Tucker foreman. This increase—up from 19.25 cents in 1978—will be retroactive to October 1,1978. In Charlotte, the number of federally funded meals served will be curtailed by 10 percent in the coming year, according to Mrs. Melba Von Sprecken, head of the City Nutrition Division. The program in Charlotte fed 750 people at the be ginning of 1978. That number has dwindled to providing 625 senior citizens with meals. This year the cuts will be more drastic, according to Mr. Von Sprecken. “Three hundred people are on the waiting list now," she continued. Nutrition programs for the elderly are operated by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. The Agriculture Department donates food or provides cash instead of food to states . participating in this program Most meals are served at community centers, schools, churches, or other sites convenient for the elderly. In Charlotte, these areas are as follows: the Charlotte Town Terrace, Edwin Towers Park Town Terrace, South Side Homes, Strong Apart ments, the Plaza Presbyterian Church and the Plaza Methodist Church. Hot meals are delivered to the homes of elderly people who are unable to receive meals at the Centers. Funding for the program comes from state grants (10 percent) and federal funds (90 percent). Hearing Set For Preliminary Housing Plans The Charlotte City Council will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the Preliminary Community Development and Housing Plans for the years 1980, 1981 and 1982. The hearing will be held on Monday, January 22 at 3 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 600 East Trade Street. Following the meeting, an application will be prepared to obtain funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the fiscal year 1980. The Preliminary Plan includes the proposed budget for fiscal year 1980 as well as the Housing Assistance Plan for fiscal years 1980-82. Funds are being requested for physical, human services, relocation and economic development programs. Persons wishing to speak at the hearing should notify the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, telephone 374-2247 by noon the day of the meeting. Speakers are asked to place their suggestions in writing for the record. Those not able to attend may send their comments to the Director, Community Development Department, Cameron Brown Building, 301 South McDowell Street, Charlotte, 28204. The nine Community Development target areas are Grier Heights, North Char lotte, Cherry, Third Ward, West More head, First Ward Extension, Southside, Southside Park-Brookhill, Five Points, and West Boulevard. STUNNING SARAH FRANCES ELUS .Likes fashion designing Sarah Frances Ellis Is Beauty Of Week Sarah Francis Ellis is our beauty for this week. She is a pleater at Mid-South Indust ries, a manufacturer of ladies’ skirts, specializing in all kinds of pleats. She enjoys her work. “I’ve been there about nine months and it’s been an ex perience for me,” Sarah com mented. But someday, hopefully in a few years, Sarah wants to venture out to bigger and better things when she gets her finances to add up. I'm planning on going to modeling school,” Sarah said, “in New York City. I choose New York because I’ve heard that most top paid models are from New York. It won’t be as though Sarah was jumping out on a limb by going to such a populous city as New York City. “I lived in New York for five years when I was a teenager,” she said. Sarah will be obser ving her 25th birthday this month. Originally from Char lotte, Sarah and her family moved to New York when her father, a long distance truck driver, was transferred there. Later, they moved back to Charlotte. Sarah said that people whom she has met has been primarily responsible for helping her to make the deci sion to become a model. “Many people tell me I have the qualifications to become a model,” she said. If somehow her plans change, Sarah still intends to be a part of the fashion world. "1 like fashion designing," she said. "I can always dream of something beautiful to put on." Sarah describes herself as a quiet person who likes to be around people and who likes to party. “I'm also ambitious," she said, "and I'm a little outstanding as a person in that 1 try to do what is best foi me." Her hobbies include swim ming (when the weather per mits), sewing, listening U music,being around children and playing tennis The most influential persoi in Sarah’s life has been he boyfriend. “When I first me him, I was very depressed, she said. “He encouraged m to do things to help myself, can depend on him. M parents have been helpful too. Sarah is the proud mother c Kalomo, her five-year-old so who goes to Kindergarten i Albemarle Elementary School. "Whenever I'm drei «ing to go somewhere, 1 alwaystell md what looks go. and what doesn't,” she sak "So I take his opinion ” A 1872 graduate of We Charlotte High School and tl youngest of three chiktre Sarah is the daughter of Samuel and Maggie Ellis Blacks Unable To Contain Their Despair WASHINGTON, D C. "If we get no satisfaction at the White House we re going :.c take our fight to Capital Hill, said M. Carl Holman, presi dent of the National Urban Coalition, on Wednesday, de crying administration plans U‘ combat unemployment. . Holman, speaking on the ‘‘Today” show, was one of th< Black leaders who met the da j belore with President Carter fort 2ti hours and emerged afterwards complaining < f theirt distress at the pres dent'l fight against inflatici and warned that they would t unableV) “contain” the urbat unrest (hat they said wool. follow sukb a decision. IMMEDIATELY FOL LOWING t\t> meeting, Vernon Jordan, president of the Na tional Urban League who acted as spApman for the group, warned that unless largescale jol relief fo’ Blacks and the pair was forth coming, he would be "un&Ui to contain their despair...and their anger Holman’s remarks on th< NBC network show he nex morning, however, while ju: as critical of the President’: plans, were more subdued vir alrpadv have set wo a meeting with the Republk an leaders," he said, outliniig the next move of the Black leaders. "And we hope U. meet with the Democrats. ’ Holman said that while the President told the Black lea ders he and his Cabinet mem bers, "including HUD Secre tary Patricia Harris Roberts and HEW Secretary Joseph Califiano," were sensitive to the problems of the Black leaders, "he also said you re not going tp like sojpe of the. things we do.’ ” Holman also revealed that' Blacks had asked the Pres> dent if he was going to cut the defense budget “And htdid not re*nn«v« •• Ksa caiH "WE ARE in agreement in the fight against inflation,” said Holman, "but not on the back of those who least car afford it. "Some people are already in a recession.” In his statement outside the White House, Jordan has stop ped short of predicting vio lence in the streets if the 15 percent Black unemployment rate is now lowered. For Black youths the rate is 35-40 percent. Asked if he was forecasting rioting Uke the wavs of de 1 struction which swept major cities 10 years ago, Jordan » would only say that his com , ment “speaks for Itself ” . Jordan, Holman, and other Black leaders who attended The meeting included: Ben jamin Hooke, NAACP exec* ' tive director, Mrs. Curette 1 King, and Joseph Lowerr o 1 the Southern Christian Lead ership Conference. "We are instating that the President make unasnpkw *1 ment twin priority with anti. > nf 1st ion," Lowery said. HE ASKED that the Presi dent "not make the poor of It this country boar the major or e Inequitable twtaa" in b. »“• mn^ioh. The group naked tar In creased funds (or the pear, far Blacks and the dtfc* y . \>* n"' /