Oct 8, 2025 By Karen Mansfield 3 min read

Courtesy of City Mission

City Mission President/CEO Diana Irey Vaughan will participate in Conversations on a Bench, a 24-hour event, on Thursday.

How is Washington County addressing homelessness?

That’s a question City MIssion President and CEO Diana Irey Vaughan is willing to stay up for 24 hours to talk about.

In an effort to raise awareness about homelessness and shift public perception around the homeless, City Mission will host a 24-hour event called Conversations on a Bench on Thursday and Friday at the mission’s campus at 84 W. Wheeling St., Washington.

The event is part of a nationwide campaign organized by Citygate Network, a faith-based association of rescue missions and ministries across North America.

For one full day – beginning at noon Thursday, rain or shine – Vaughan will sit on a bench livestreaming one-on-one conversations with community members ranging from local leaders and donors to former program participants and interested passersby.

The bench becomes a platform for stories of healing, restoration and hope.

“Every person has a story, and every story matters,” said Vaughan. “This event invites people to see beyond stereotypes and engage with the reality of what it means to struggle with homelessness.”

The community is encouraged to stop by and bring a canned good donation for the mission’s food pantry, Samaritan Care.

The livestream will be accessible on City Mission’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com@citymission1941. The public is invited to watch, participate in person, or submit questions and prayer requests via email, which will allow community members to participate at their convenience, day or night.

The local event is one of many taking place across North America during the 24-hour stretch. More than 100 ministries are participating in similar events.

“We are all working together to raise awareness for the needs of the homeless in our communities,” said Vaughan. “We will have something going on for the entire 24 hours. Most of that time will be scheduled for interviews with community leaders, some of our board of directors and a few others talking with me about what they do so people can learn more about the mission, and we will also tap into some of the national streaming going on. We are hoping to raise awareness to the needs in our community and that more individuals will consider participating and giving back.”

Vaughan noted winter months are approaching and “the need for shelter for the homeless will become greater.”

For more information about the City Mission’s Conversations on a Bench, livestream access, or donation opportunities, visit www.citymission.org/events. To schedule a conversation or submit questions, email City MIssion at contact@citymission.org.

For 84 years, City Mission has implemented programs that address short-term and long-term needs for the homeless, including food and shelter, drug and alcohol counseling, mental health and medical treatment, and employment training.

The nonprofit recently opened Sally’s Sanctuary, a 50-bed shelter for homeless women, the fastest-growing population of homeless in the United States. The shelter increases the City Mission’s capacity to 209 beds with four distinct shelters for four homeless populations: men, women, women with children, and veterans.