“And perhaps even here, it’s still worth it to bravely live with an open heart.” ~ Morgan Harper Nichols When Jade and her growing family suddenly found themselves homeless, she chose to stay open and ask for the help they needed. “I don’t want to be scared because I’m going through something hard. That doesn’t mean I don’t deserve anything.” …
One of Roof Above’s solutions to end homelessness is the Unsheltered Housing Navigation Team, located at the Day Services Center (DSC). Danielle and Leon were hired to create this team in the spring. When asked to describe what they do, Danielle says, “We’re housing navigators for people who frequent the DSC. We’re working with people who do not have shelter, …
Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn.Managing Roof Above’s social media accounts is an obvious component of Cameron Hinson-Potts’ work as the Digital Communications Manager. She also responds to social media messages, keeps the website updated, makes flyers for programming, measures analytics, researches trends, gathers content and oversees emails to donors. But the heart of Cameron’s work is cultivating connections. Her approach to …
“My calling is to help,” says Dorenda “DeDe” Durr. DeDe is a volunteer engagement specialist, based at Moore Place, one of Roof Above’s permanent supportive housing sites. Originally from Texas, she moved out west as a teenager and has been traveling the world since. Previously in her career, DeDe fulfilled her desire to help others by becoming a teacher. She’s …
Reggie Sterling embodies Roof Above’s core values in his role to nourish the guests at Howard Levine Men’s Shelter. Those values include having a heart for the work, being solution-oriented, bringing our best, and valuing others. Reggie provides breakfast and lunch for shelter guests at Howard Levine Men’s Shelter as well as dinner for guests at Lucille Giles Men’s Shelter. …
Happy Father’s Day from Roof Above! We appreciate all the fathers and father figures in our lives. May today be filled with cherished memories and the love of those closest to your hearts. Ask Keith Jackson about his family and he beams. Keith has a blended family with two sons and two daughters, and when his wife retired, they moved …
No Grease! is “not your ordinary barbershop.” They celebrated a milestone anniversary last year with the statement: “25 years of developing people, families & community; and it all starts with a haircut.” Nowhere is this more evident than in the No Grease! Barber School. No Grease! Barber School students Elijah Johnson, Zaire Perkins, Jaffy Tewold, and Carlton Travis volunteer their …
Kathy Izard, an award-winning author, speaker, and philanthropist who has helped bring transformation to Charlotte in homelessness, housing, and mental health, has been named the 2022 Charlotte Woman of the Year. This prestigious award, now in its 67th year, is given for exceptional community service and exemplary leadership. Kathy always felt supported by her father, who believed she and her …
After moving to Charlotte from Los Angeles last year, Moore Place Director Tom Wukawitz was pleasantly surprised to see the way our community has come together to solve homelessness. The scope of the problem is admittedly much larger in Los Angeles County, where approximately 60,000 people are experiencing homelessness. Still, he’s encouraged by the public-private partnerships he sees in Mecklenburg …
Roof Above would like to wish you a Happy Mother’s Day. Whether you parent humans, animal babies, nieces and nephews, or you pour your maternal heart into your community, we honor you. May it be a day of beauty and blessings. Thank you, moms, for all you do! Belinda Benjamin is a mother to her core. She’s raised two amazing …
Chris is a nurse in our Scattered Site housing team. But he’s more than just an empathetic caregiver. He’s someone who knows what it’s like to sleep outside. Raised in Pembroke, North Carolina, Chris came from a well-respected family. His father worked for the Town of Pembroke, and his mother worked for the Lumbee tribe, Chris’ community. As a teenager, …
Pam Terry connects deeply with one of Roof Above’s core values: Value Others. “I love that we say, ‘We honor the profound worth of each life.’ That’s the value that resonates with me the most. I really try to see the people we serve.” As part of the Philanthropy Services team, she is responsible for the accurate and timely processing …
“I feel very lucky,” says Dan, who manages our Scattered Site Housing office. “I feel very fortunate that I get to do this work.” Following a 30-year career in financial services, in 2018 Dan sensed it was time to go in a new direction. “I knew I wanted to do something different,” he says. At first, he saw himself going …
Before she moved to Charlotte a year ago, Rosie’s perspective on homelessness was based on what she’d seen during her life in London. “Homelessness is very spread out there,” she says. “It’s harder to see. My impression of homelessness was that it was usually related to one of three groups – either mental health, substance use or occasionally ex-military. Coming …
When Paul Winterhalter was a child, his father told him something he’s never forgotten: Whenever you leave a room in the house, make sure you leave that room a little cleaner than it was when you went inside. In 2009, he moved to Charlotte from Pittsburgh and joined the staff at the Emergency Winter Shelter on Statesville Avenue, just as …
When Cheri Lindblom started volunteering with Room In the Inn 25 years ago, her daughters were just three and five. They are now 28 and 30. “I often say my girls were raised in Room In the Inn,” she says. “In actuality, I was the one who was raised in Room In the Inn. I have seen how one act …
The colorful new mural at the Lucille Giles Center is proof that volunteering for Roof Above can take on many different forms. “As an artist, this is my act of service,” says the artist, Eva Crawford. “It’s what I’m qualified to do.” She’d previously donated proceeds from her art sales to Roof Above. But when the Giles Center reopened after …
“There are angels walking this earth – and she’s one of them,” Mr. Washington says about his case manager, Connie. They’ve been working together since she helped get him into housing about two years ago – during the early days of the pandemic. “It was so eerie on the streets back then,” he recalls. “No people. No nothing. It was …
“I love what I do,” says Turquandra, affectionately known as “Ms. T.” As the supervisor of our Statesville campus, she oversees both the Howard Levine Men’s Shelter, with 164 reserved beds, and the Lucille Giles Emergency Shelter, with 116 unreserved beds. Whether it’s providing basic services like meals, showers and laundry or helping guests find housing and employment, she and …
By Hannah Stutts: There are some dates that never leave your memory–your partner’s birthday, wedding anniversaries, the day a loved one has passed. February 18, 2021, is one of those dates for me but it marks a very different moment in time. It’s the date that began the eviction of the 200-plus individuals living in what became known as the …
Moore Place resident Kenny has two favorite words during football season: ROLL TIDE! Sports have always been a healthy distraction for Kenny. They’ve helped him move beyond some of the difficulties he’s faced in life. A lifelong fan of Alabama’s Crimson Tide, Kenny came close to achieving his dream of playing football under legendary coach Bear Bryant. But during Kenny’s …
