Some time ago, Moore Place tenant Kenneth Dill began volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank. What began as a notion to volunteer a couple of days each week developed into so much more. From the start, Kenny recognized the significant impact Second Harvest was having within Charlotte and beyond. “There’s over 900 agencies in North and South Carolina that we …
As a social worker and a musician, HousingFest blends my passions perfectly. I’m excited to share our plans for this year’s event. What’s HousingFest? HousingFest is a music festival dedicated to ending homelessness in Charlotte. It’s guided by two simple principles: 1) Housing is a basic human right and 2) music has the power to unite people to end homelessness. …
Carmel Presbyterian Church is one of many houses of faith that provides shelter and fellowship for our neighbors during Room In The Inn. This article is from “The Carmel Letter,” and reprinted with Ed’s permission. The recent Room In The Inn session on January 18 was a real blessing for me. Boy Scout Troop #79 prepared and served a very …
Last month, our community completed the annual Point in Time Count Survey. Over 150 volunteers spread out across the community to conduct a survey with people who spent the night outside. Tricia Sistrunk was one of those volunteers. This was her second year volunteering. She also serves as a regular volunteer with the outreach team. On the morning of the survey, I …
Blog post by Liz Clasen-Kelly with Trish Fries Each year since 2010, Urban Ministry Center has taken one day (usually in September or October) to collect information on the neighbors visiting our main campus at 945 N College St. This year we conducted the survey on a cool Monday morning in October. Here are a few observations. Overall decrease: 432 …
If you want to know what community looks like, you only had to stop by Chick-Fil-A at Davis Lake on October 10. There were dozens of families gathered to enjoy a vanilla iced coffee and to remember the life and death of a shared friend: Al Gorman. Al lived homeless in the Huntersville community for seven years. Tucked away a …
They called him, “Captain America.” Street Soccer 945 player, Thomas Yon, stood proud in a patriotic jersey, branded with the infamous star-centered shield as he defended the goal for the United States at the 13th Annual Homeless World Cup in Amsterdam two weeks ago. Thomas joined eight other U.S. team members, both male and female, at this eight day, international …
Urban Ministry Center is leading an effort to end chronic homelessness in Charlotte. Hear from the UMC staff and community making it happen, and witness the successes of the housing first strategy. This video was originally shared at the True Blessings Luncheon held November 17, 2015.
Through her selfless acts of kindness, 5 ½ year old Carly Crysler, teaches us all that you’re never too young to make a difference. Carly, who just started kindergarten, tells me that she has always made art and was even voted Most Creative by her preschool. “It’s just her thing” mom Heather Crysler says to me as I look through …
On a humid day in July, six Cadettes from Girl Scout Troop 1513 braved the heat and walked over two miles around Charlotte in the character of Kimberly, a homeless runaway, and Angela, a homeless mother. They were doing Walk in My Shoes, Urban Ministry Center’s educational program that helps participants understand the day to day life of someone who …
It was a rainy day in March 2012 when Andrew Harvey, Chris Saade and several participants from their International Academy of Sacred Leadership (IASL) gathered at the Urban Ministry Center to host a lunchtime music event. During the open mic, held in the small computer room adjacent to the dining room, several UMC neighbors stepped up and shared their talent.
“I remember this because her words touched my heart.” As nine-year-old Joanne finished, I turned to look at Tabby—the inspiration for the poem—sitting at my side. Tears were in her eyes. We were at Urban Ministry Center and Trinity Episcopal School’s end of the year party. It was a chance for three Moore Place tenants and three neighbors to …
Karen stood over the rocking chair I had motioned her to see. “This is nice,” she said, tapping it slightly with her hand to see how it moved. She paused and looked at the chair intensely, crossing her brow. “Okay, yeah. I’ll take that, I guess.” Nonchalance is Karen’s signature: the time I brought her some donated housewares, among which …
This season continued a trend we’ve seen over the past few seasons: we had virtually the same number of hosts, neighbors, and beds as we had last year the evening teams welcomed new folks and handled their tasks – including the “dueling computers” at each check-in station – with efficiency and a remarkable spirit the hosts graciously welcomed …
As a member of the HousingWorks team, I’ve had many opportunities to witness transformations that are nothing short of miraculous. We have seen tenants experience dramatic improvements in health, mental wellbeing, and familial relationships. Often, these changes develop rapidly when individuals gain the safety and stability of housing. The contrast between a life of survival and a life of stability …
Last month (January 29-31), the Urban Ministry Center had the privilege of helping lead our community’s largest effort to identify chronically homeless and unsheltered individuals. With the help of more than 250 volunteers assigned to 29 teams spread throughout the county, we combined the annual “Point in Time,” during which our community literally counts the number of people sleeping outside, …
Why this place? Why these people? Why me? One of my favorite projects this year was collecting first-person reflections from volunteers, staff and board members of the Urban Ministry Center. Liz Peralta Development Team, UMC “When I was a volunteer here, a neighbor asked if I would call his children’s doctor. I invited him to use my phone …
32,128. That is the number I want you to have in mind when you go to the polls on November 4th and have a chance to vote “Yes” for Charlotte’s Affordable Housing Bond. 32,128 – that is the number of households that signed up over just five days for a chance to be put on the Charlotte Housing Authority’s waitlist for …
My volunteering work at The Urban Ministry began in 2009 after my retirement. The Urban Ministry’s work with the homeless was always of great interest to me, primarily because my volunteering efforts to that point were limited to board work of various non-profits devoted to homeless children. Working with the homeless one on one was something I had always wanted …
Making an impact on one individual’s life is a fulfilling thing. It can pleasantly linger in someone’s memory for decades depending on the situation and what was accomplished. Each year has roughly 250 work days in it, so last year the VISTA program allowed me 250 opportunities to strongly impact individuals’ lives. During the last 12 months I served as …
Since 2010, Urban Ministry Center has taken one day a year to interview every person who comes on our main campus property seeking services to gain a better understanding of the characteristics and needs of our overall population. We call it our annual “Survey at the Gate,” though through the years we have progressed from completing paper surveys literally at …