Profile in Community Service: The "Mama Billy" of the Homeless in Washington DC
(By: DinggolAranetaDivinagracia-June 10, 2018)
"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give." - Kahlil Gibran -
Thelma Niñonuevo was born during the middle of the 1940's in Fabrica, Negros Occidental to modest but upright parents and spent her teenage and secondary student years in Iloilo City, Philippines. She moved to Manila and eventually immigrated to the U.S. A. where she met in San Diego, California a young Naval Officer named George H. Billy. They got married and later relocated to Virginia in the Metropolitan Washington D.C. area. They have two children, Elizabeth and George Michael.
Since 1995, Thelma N. Billy has committed to serving the poor and homeless at Fairfax in Virginia thru the Lamb Homeless Shelter and in the U. S. capital Washington, D.C. Her one-woman crusade FEED THE HOMELESS began when she gave hot dog sandwiches to two elderly homeless men she saw eating chicken bones they scavenged from a garbage can at the Lafayette Park in the rich U.S. Nations Capital.
At first, with only a handful of volunteers, but later many civic spirited and service oriented friends and neighbors joined in her personal advocacy. They served hot meal with soup, complete with salad, dessert and beverages to an average of 700 homeless people in front of the Center for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV), the largest Homeless Shelter in Metropolitan Washington D.C. area. This was scheduled every Wednesday, rain or shine, sleet or snow. They also gave away new and used clothing, shoes, blankets, toiletries, etc. However, since 2005, to heed her Doctor’s advise, Thelma revised the schedule to only during Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas due to her health condition.
These well meaning volunteers that help prepare, cook and serve food to the homeless, represent varied professions and different associations, including plain housewives and young students from Robinson High School, Paul VI Catholic High School, George Mason University, St. Leo the Great School and Church parishioners.
Dubbed as "Mama Billy" by thousands of homeless roaming the Metropolitan Washington D.C. area, Thelma N. Billy has been feeding hordes of homeless for the past twenty three (23) years. Although she does not accept cash donations; food items, eating materials and cooking equiptments flow generously from friends, neighbors, civic and fraternal organizations and neighborhood stores, etc..
Thelma Niñonuevo Billy, is an active member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Ilonggos of Metropolitan Washington DC (AIM), Inc. (with tax exempt status under 501-c IRS No. 1818814). Thelma is a Multi-Awardee for community involvement. She takes care of homeless elderly by letting them stay in her own home while arrangement for shelter accommodation is still being worked-out.
Presently, she devote full-time as an active service volunteer for the House of Charity in Washington D.C. and indulge herself with the youth ministry of St. Leo Parish Church and the Ladies Auxiliary of Father Diamond Council - Knights of Columbus in Fairfax, Virginia.
The last two events that yours truly, participated in Thelma Billy's "Feed the Homeless" program was during the 2009 Thanksgiving Day and the 2010 Easter Season . These events were covered live on Television and by Ms. Bing C. Branigin of The Manila Mail (Washington DC) and Ms. Grace Valera Jaramillo and Ms. Susan Manalastas of Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC) Chronicle.
When asked why she is doing this, Thelma replied in a low-tone voice and with sincerity; "This is my way of saying 'thank you' to my adopted country, God bless the U.S.A."
(In photo: active volunteers headed by Ilongga Thelma N. Billy during the “Feed the Homeless” in front of CCNV the biggest homeless shelter in Washington. DC.)
Thelma Billy (Center) with Mila Villegas-Moore, Dinggol Araneta Divinagracia and other volunteers during Easter Sunday-2010 “Feed the Homeless” in Washington, DC.
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