My View from the Men's Shelter

Happy New Year

2011-12-29T14:08:00.000-05:00

As 2011 comes to an end, I find myself reflecting back on the past year. I'm first and foremost grateful to our wonderful staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous donors who made it possible for the Men's Shelter to care for close to 600 men each night while moving more than 300 men into more appropriate housing. Our board of directors, under the leadership of board chair Cathy Pullen, have been steadfast in their resolve to ensure that no homeless man in need be turned away. Even with an all-time record of 683 men sheltered on one night (November 29th), I'm proud to say we kept that promise throughout the year. It hasn't always been easy, financially or on our staff, but its been the right thing to do and we'll continue to shelter all who seek our assistance with the support of our community.

As you think about making your resolutions for 2012, I hope you'll think of ways to give your time, talents, and treasure to help the Men's Shelter of Charlotte provide safe shelter to all homeless men while working to end homelessness for each man we serve.

Happy New Year!

National Homeless Persons Memorial Day

2011-12-16T16:21:00.000-05:00

December 21st is the first day of winter, typically the longest night of the year, and happens to also be my birthday. More importantly, National Homeless Persons Memorial Day is observed each year on December 21st in our nation's capital and throughout the country. To learn more visit the National Coalition for the Homeless' website www.nationalhomeless.org. As we celebrate the holiday season, please join me and take a moment on Tuesday, December 21, 2011 to remember our homeless citizens, neighbors, and friends who have died over the past year. I also urge you to learn more about Opening Doors (www.usich.gov) and More than Shelter (www.housingcoalition.charlottenc.gov), our respective federal and local plans to end and prevent homelessness. My New Year's resolution is to continue envisioning a time in the near future when National Homeless Persons Memorial Day will honor the lives of those lost before homelessness ceased to exist.

Thank You Morning Star Lutheran Men

2011-11-11T14:23:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the privilege of joining the men at Morning Star Lutheran Church for dinner as they celebrated their 15-plus years serving dinner at the Men's Shelter. Not only was the meal terrific - Thank You Pastor Tim - but so was the fellowship. Getting to know these dedicated volunteers - Art and I are both NC State Alumni - was the highlight of my day. And to cap off the evening, I was presented with a wonderfully generous donation on behalf of their ministry. My thanks to Bob for the invitation and to all of the Morning Star Lutheran men for their dedication to the mission of the Men's Shelter of Charlotte.

Bank of America Honors the Men's Shelter with Neighborhood Builder Award

2011-11-09T10:16:00.000-05:00

Last night the Men's Shelter of Charlotte received the 2011 Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Neighborhood Builder Award! Our agency joins a list of distinguished past recipients from our community and around the country. As part of this award, MSC will participate in a year-long emerging leaders training program sponsored by Bank of America. The award also comes with a $200,000 grant that MSC will use to implement Rapid Re-housing, an evidenced-based best practice to help move men quickly from the shelter into housing.

We are tremendously grateful to Bank of American for its commitment to the Men's Shelter of Charlotte and ending homelessness in our community!

Pentagon Visit Today

2011-09-07T13:51:00.000-04:00

Many thanks to Col. David Sutherland from the Office of the Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff at the Pentagon for visiting the Men's Shelter today. Col. Sutherland was in Charlotte to promote more effective community-based strategies for helping support veterans and their families in our community. Between media interviews, lunch with the Mayor, and public presentations, the Colonel and his staff took a tour of our Tryon Street Campus and sat down with a group of homeless veterans to listen to their needs. Did you know that the Men's Shelter of Charlotte serves between 200-300 homeless veterans a year?

Col. Sutherland (left) with Lt. Col. Hart talk with homeless veterans at the Men's Shelter

September Toiletry Drive

2011-08-29T10:56:00.000-04:00

Starting September 1st, the Men's Shelter in partnership with Crisis Assistance Ministry, A Child's Place, Union County Community Shelter, and the United Way of Central Carolinas will be sponsoring a month-long Toiletry Drive. We provide an enormous quantity of personal hygiene items to our clients for free and as responsible non-profits we try to keep our costs in purchasing these items to a bare minimum. You may not know this, but MSC gives out about 2,000 disposable razors each month and can go through more than 500 bars of hotel size soap each night!

You can help.

Throughout the month of September, donate soap, shampoo, disposable razors, and deodorant at any of our collection sites and we'll make sure it gets to those most in need. While individual or "hotel" sizes work best, we'll make sure all donated items are put to good use. A flyer providing more detailed information will be posted on our website or you can contact Megan or Linda in our Community Development Department (704.334.3187) for assistance.

Thanks in advance for helping our agencies meet the basic needs of homeless men, women, children, and families throughout our community.

Men's Shelter Welcomes New Board Members

2011-07-19T15:57:00.000-04:00

Today, the Men's Shelter of Charlotte welcomed six new members to our Board of Directors - Bob Bishop, Pat Fogarty, BJ Haughey, Mark Olson, John Oxrider, and Will Smoak. As you can see from the following photos, it didn't take us long to put them to work!

Another Long Hot Summer

2011-06-24T08:05:00.000-04:00

Hey, but what should you expect in Charlotte during the summer other than heat and humidity? Did you know that a study a few years ago in Philadelphia demonstrated that a slightly higher number of homeless people died due to summer weather than winter weather? Philly is also very hot in the summer but their winters are much more harsh than ours, which further shows how much safe shelter and services to help end homelessness is critical year round. Just this past week, the Men's Shelter welcomed 644 men on just one night! In May, the average number of men sheltered each night was just as high as in November and almost 50 more men per night than we served last May. Some may believe that there are fewer homeless people in the summer, but the numbers prove otherwise. So, this summer as you're enjoying your well-deserved vacation, barbecue party, and swimming pool, please take a moment to learn more about what you can do to help our community's most vulnerable citizens. Since you're reading this blog, you're already on our website (http://www.mensshelterofcharlotte.org/), so why not click over to the Get Involved tab now to see how you can donate and volunteer today. Have a safe and fun-filled summer!

Thanks for Their Leadership

2011-04-27T07:42:00.000-04:00

It takes a lot of people to carry out the mission of the Men's Shelter. Our professional staff working on intake, case management, facility operations, food service, and administration numbers about 50 hardworking, dedicated people - many of them have been featured on our website, in our newsletters, and on Facebook. We have thousands of compassionate volunteers, without whom we wouldn't exist. We have many, many service delivery partners carrying out a wide range of supportive services to help the men we serve. And, we have a supportive community standing behind the mission and the activities that help over 500 homeless men each night. I am very thankful for all of these people.

I also have four special people who work long hours, are completely committed to our agency, and mostly go unrecognized for their tremendous efforts. I'd like to introduce each of them and offer my public thanks for their service to the Men's Shelter and our community.

Ashley Milano-Barnett is our Associate Executive Director for Client Services. Ashley is responsible for making sure our shelters are welcoming places that meet the needs of the men we serve. Ashley supervises the staff under our four client services components - Prevention & Outreach, Basic Needs, Supportive Services, and Continuing Care. Ashley has been working with the homeless in Charlotte for more than dozen years and is one of the most compassionate, client-centered social workers I know.

Trish Hobson is our Associate Executive Director for Community Development. Trish oversees our fundraising, major gifts, planned giving, volunteer coordination, communications, marketing, and public relations. Trish and small her team make sure that the Men's Shelter has the financial, volunteer, and in-kind resources needed to carry out our mission. Trish has been in development for several years and I believe is the best at what she does.

Anita Leach is our Business Director. She manages our finances, pays the bills, oversee Human Resources, and balances the books. Anita is budget director, office manager, HR counselor, and bookkeeper all rolled into one. Anita ensures that we have a clean audit each year and maintain our United Way and BBB accreditation. Anita has over 25 years' experience in the nonprofit sector and we're fortunate to have her experience and sense of humor on our team.

William Hicks is our Facilities Director. He is responsible for keeping our shelters clean and safe, supervising our food services operation, and managing relationships with our vendors. William is constantly switching gears from toiler repair, to lawn care, to contract negotiation - the number of tasks he touches in one day boggles my mind. William has worked in facilities management for many years and I believe his longevity is due in part to how well he manages relationships with vendors, staff, volunteers, and clients.

Obviously, Ashley, Trish, Anita, and William have many talented people working with them to accomplish our mission. However, they are each truly servant leaders and trusted advisers to me. It's about time I said thank you publicly.

Heroes for the Homeless

2011-04-07T15:28:00.000-04:00

During our 3rd Annual Under Our Roof Community Partnership Breakfast on March 22, the Men's Shelter recognized three important people whose sharing of time and talent set them apart as Heroes for the Homeless. Present to accept their award and be thanked publicly were Frank Bryant and Sylvester Huff, two dedicated volunteers at the Men's Shelter. Unfortunately, our third recipient, Keith Wilson, who was recognized for his tireless efforts advocating for the homeless in our community, was unable to attend and be thanked during the breakfast. So, I'd like to offer this public thanks to Keith Wilson for being a Hero for the Homeless!

Keith Wilson, right, a Hero for the Homeless

The Future of MSC

2011-04-05T19:55:00.000-04:00

At the Men's Shelter's 3rd Annual Under Our Roof Community Partnership Breakfast, our Board Chair Cathy Pullen announced our revised mission and vision statements:

Mission: The Men's Shelter is dedicated to providing safe emergency shelter while working to end homelessness for each man.

Vision: Our vision is to serve as the catalyst for systemic change to end homelessness in our community.

As the Men's Shelter celebrates our 30th Anniversary throughout 2011, we want to honor our past work in helping homeless men while becoming an agency better able to help men move beyond homelessness.

In the coming weeks you'll see a revamped Men's Shelter of Charlotte website that will continue to share how we plan to accomplish our mission and vision.

A Special Thanks to the Charlotte Bobcats

2011-03-09T08:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, the Charlotte Bobcats wrapped up a day of community service by helping prepare and serve dinner at the Men's Shelter. It was a great event and our guests really enjoyed the fellowship with Bobcats' staff, management, players, cheerleaders, and mascots. First on the service line was none other than Michael Jordan! In addition to dinner, each guest received a goodie bag with new socks, toothbrush and Bobcats t-shirt. While waiting in the dinner line, one of our guests told me that it was his "life long dream to meet Michael Jordan" and here he was having Michael serve him dinner. It makes such a difference to the men we serve when our community reaches out to help them. As I was walking through the shelter last night preparing to go home, I noticed several of our guests calling family and talking to friends excited to tell them that the Bobcats had served dinner, a cheerleader signed their t-shirt, they got their picture taken with the mascot, or they met Michael and the players.

The Men's Shelter is grateful to the Bobcats organization for including us in their day of service. Special thanks to Coach Lee Rose, a Men's Shelter volunteer, who introduced us to the Bobcats. Our sincerest appreciation to the Bobcats staff, and especially, Kim Beal and Carl Scheer for choosing the Men's Shelter and coordianting yesterday's event. And certainly, our thanks to Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats players and cheerleaders for spending their time caring for homeless men in our community.

New Year's Message

2011-01-27T13:52:00.000-05:00

What an absolutely incredible, challenging, and blessed year we’ve had at the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte! At this time last year, the shelters on our two campuses – Statesville Avenue and Tryon Street – we serving about 500 men per night. One year later that number is closer to 600 men per night with many nights well above 600. The rising numbers bring me no joy, it’s the response from the community that has been so wonderful. When we brought the Emergency Winter Shelter and Uptown Shelter together to create the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, we were focused on one main goal – to do an even better job helping the hundreds of homeless men in our community come in off the streets, find comfort and stability in our shelters, and begin the journey towards self-sufficiency by moving out of homelessness. We started by ensuring that at least 500 beds of safe emergency shelter were made available to homeless men in our community every night. When we realized that number was insufficient, we decided that we would welcome all and not turn away any homeless man seeking assistance – we would find a way to shelter all who came. And we’ve lived up to that promise! As importantly, we’ve introduced new best practices to encourage men to leave the streets for our shelters and to help them obtain and maintain more appropriate housing. Last year we helped over 125 men move out of the shelter and into housing. Our goal this year is to move at least 250 men into housing. With so many men in our beds each night, the Men’s Shelter is an ideal catalyst for ending homelessness, one man at a time. We’ve done this with the support of our county and city, the United Way, corporations, foundations, congregations, and individuals – lots and lots of individuals. The support has been great, unfortunately it has not kept pace with the demand. We have more than doubled our year-round shelter capacity over the past year, but many of our funding resources have not increased and some have even decreased. We’re working hard to engage new donors and attract additional funding resources, but the economy has not cooperated. We’ll continue to work around the clock to help homeless men and secure the funding needed to do so. As we begin a new year, I encourage all of our supporters to consider what more you can do to help.

Holiday Wishes

2010-12-10T14:37:00.000-05:00

As we enter the season of celebration and fellowship, I'd like to thank all who have supported the Men's Shelter throughout 2010. Many of you have been volunteers, donors, and supporters for many years. Many of you have become engaged in our mission just recently. You have all played an incredible role in helping the Men's Shelter help hundreds of men move beyond homelessness this year as well as keeping thousands more safe and cared for during very difficult times in their lives. You not only have my sincerest thanks, but also the deepest appreciate of our staff, board, and guests. I wish each of you the most joyous holiday season.

550 & Counting!

2010-11-01T16:32:00.000-04:00

October is typically our prelude to winter. The days begin to grow shorter and the nights begin to get cooler. This October was a bit atypical, with some very hot days and mostly warm nights. October was also atypical because the Men's Shelter experienced record high numbers of men seeking shelter. In October 2009 our two shelters averaged 397 men per night. This October (2010) that average skyrocketed to an astounding 550 men per night! Since the weather played no obvious role in these huge numbers, we've become increasingly concerned that winter averages will exceed 600. Still, the Men's Shelter is committed to serving ALL homeless men seeking our assistance this winter. With this commitment comes added financial responsibility because it takes money to provide shelter, showers, utilities, and meals to all of these extra men. Unfortunately, several of our major revenue sources continue to fund MSC as a 265 shelter, not a 500 bed shelter that is exceeding its capacity to meet the needs of all homeless men. We could use your help. Volunteers and donated meals help keep our costs down. But we also need your financial assistance. Please visit our website (http://www.menshelterofcharlotte.org/) today and make a donation or call our Community Development staff at 704.334.3187 x 502 to participate in our major gifts campaign. It costs us less than $20 per night to safely shelter a homeless man but with so many men these nights we need everyone's support. Thank you for helping us help homeless men.

The Crisis Continues

2010-09-09T15:29:00.000-04:00

Our community has been through a lot the last couple of years. County government has faced budget shortfalls that have affected social services, schools, and libraries, to name a few. Businesses, large and small, have struggled through a sluggish economy and the housing market is in its worst shape since the Great Depression. Our most vulnerable citizens have struggled too. Homelessness reached a critical state in Charlotte a couple of years ago and the numbers of homeless citizens remains high and growing. The Men's Shelter has averaged as many men in our two shelters each night this summer as we did during the worst nights of last winter. I have a son attending CMS in the second grade and funding our school system is important to me. I was once a school teacher and applaud the efforts starting to surface in our community to financially support education. I just hope, for the sake of the 500+ homeless men the Men's Shelter serves each night and the 6,000+ homeless citizens in our community, that the efforts to support critical needs and emergency shelter over the past two years are not forgotten as other important issues are tackled. Having a roof over your head, even if its in a shelter, should be an absolute right for all of our citizens.

It's Been a long, Hot Summer!

2010-08-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

I'm fortunate, tomorrow I leave for a week long vacation spending time with family and enjoying a few days camping in the mountains. Camping is my choice; luckily I don't have to live outside. No one should have to live outside. So far this summer, the Men's Shelter has been able to provide emergency shelter that meets basic needs to all who have asked for assistance - and a lot of homeless men have stayed on our two campuses. When we announced our 500 Bed Plan this past spring, we wanted to make sure we had the capacity to serve all who need our help, not knowing then that in the month of July we would average 494 guests per night! That's almost 20 more per night than in June and almost 30 more per night than in July. Certainly the sustained heat and humidity have caused more men to seek shelter. But it's really more than that. The men we serve would rather sleep indoors than out and we're committed to making sure they have a safe place to stay. I promise I won't complain if during our camping trip its hot and humid, after all it's my choice.

In Their Shoes

2010-07-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

Last week, Mecklenburg Ministries sponsored a walk by elected officials to see what it's like for someone experiencing homelessness to get around. Along the walk they stopped in front of the Men's Shelter of Charlotte's Tryon Street Campus and were greeted by our own Sylvester Huff, who then took them on a tour of some local homeless camp sites. Sylvester told them about his own experience and challenged them to provide the city leadership on this issue.

Check out these photos of Sylvester talking with local leaders including Dr. Peter Gorman (School Superintendent), Jennifer Roberts (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners Chair), Harold Gogdell, Jr. (Vice-Chair, Board of Commissioners), Nancy Carter (City Council). Also pictured is Maria Hanlin, Executive Director of Mecklenburg Ministries.

The Leon Levine Foundation Pledges $200,000 to Men's Shelter of Charlotte

2010-07-23T15:17:00.000-04:00

This is an excerpt from a press release issued today by the Men's Shelter of Charlotte:

The campaign to raise an additional $1 million dollars in operating expenses for the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte got off to a great start as The Leon Levine Foundation pledged $100,000 a year for two years. After meeting with Carson Dean, Executive Director of the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, the foundation staff was impressed with the plan to provide more beds for homeless men. “What strikes me is the deliberate and strategic plan to first bring men in off the streets, and ultimately improve their lives so that they can return to being productive members of our society,” says Leon Levine.

On July 1, 2010, the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte kicked off a campaign to raise an extra $1 million dollars to sustain 500 year round shelter beds for homeless men and to provide the case management services to move them into housing. “Our ultimate goal is to end homelessness in Charlotte,” says Dean. “We have to start by providing enough beds to shelter the large population of homeless men. Only then can we engage them in services that will move them beyond homelessness.”

The Leon Levine Foundation says they are proud to be a part of this innovative fundraising effort and the energy the Shelter is bringing to addressing the growing needs of the homeless population in our community. “We are excited that the Men’s Shelter is so committed to addressing the problems of our most vulnerable citizens. We are pleased to be a partner in the effort to change the way we serve the homeless population in Charlotte,” said Leon Levine.

New Talent Joins MSC Development Team

2010-07-19T16:09:00.001-04:00

Eliza Root will be joining the Community Development Team as Annual Fund Manager on August 3, 2010. Eliza graduated from UNC – Chapel Hill with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. She has a long history of working with non-profits in the areas of communications and development. Most recently, she was employed as a Development Associate at United Family Services. She spent three years there writing and researching government, foundation and United Way grants. She built and managed relationships with foundation managers, donors and corporate partners and was part of event planning team for annual fundraisers. Eliza volunteers with the Carolina Raptor Center and is active in the Association for Fundraising Professionals.

Our Community Development Team does the vital work of fundraising, recruiting volunteers, and engaging the community in our mission of helping homeless men.

Hot Weather a Hazard for the Homeless

2010-06-23T09:33:00.000-04:00

Did you know that more people experiencing homelessness die during the summer than in the winter? Sounds counter intuitive, doesn't it? However, a study in the Philadelphia area a few years ago found that slightly more than 50% of deaths related to weather occurred during the summer months. When you stop to think about it for a moment it begins to make sense.

Cold, freezing weather draws much attention and occurs during the winter holiday season when more people are looking for charitable opportunities. Many communities respond with overflow emergency shelters and other ways to get people indoors.

During the summer we tend to think that its easier for people to be outside if they have to and because so many of us are vacationing, the plight of the homeless is less on our minds. But the dangers during the summer are real. For over a week now, Charlotte has experienced temperatures in the 90s with heat indexes often above 100. Orange ozone warnings have been the norm. This means people with respiratory and other physical ailments should limit outdoor exposure. So many of the men we serve have heart and lung conditions, asthma, physical disabilities, and bodies worn down from years of abuse and exposure. The hot weather adds another impediment to lives that are already difficult enough.

So far this summer, the Men's Shelter has been averaging close to 500 men per night. Over the Memorial Day Weekend we served 583 on one night alone. This is one reason the Men's Shelter has pledged to maintain at least 500 beds of shelter year round. We need your support to keep these beds available. Check out our website http://www.mensshelterofcharlotte.org/ to donate online and see how you can volunteer. Spend a bit of your summer vacation helping someone in need.

Thank You Bank of America!

2010-06-10T16:47:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, Bank of America's eCommerce division held its annual charity golf tournament. For several years now, the Men's Shelter has been one of the beneficiaries of this event. The turn out at Tega Cay was fantastic. Our own Billy Godwin represented the Men's Shelter and played on Team Star Trek; they finished a respectable 2 under and tied for 20th place. We appreciate Billy taking one for the team and spending his day on the links.

At the awards ceremony, Men's Shelter of Charlotte was presented with a check for $35,000! What a difference this gift will make for the almost 500 men per night we are sheltering so far this summer.

We greatly appreciate the employees, sponsors, vendors, and others involved in this tournament each year, with a special thanks to BoA's tournament coordinator Kathy Sutton. On hand to join me in accepting this gift was Trish Hobson, our Associate Executive Director for Community Development, and Cathy Pullen, BoA employee and Men's Shelter Board Member and incoming Board Chair.

Carson Dean & Kathy Sutton

Charlotte Housing Trust Fund

2010-05-26T18:38:00.000-04:00

As the City of Charlotte considers its budget for next year, I ask that fellow citizens support increasing the Housing Trust Fund to $30 million dollars. Charlotte has an embarrassing shortage of affordable housing, and even some of that isn't as affordable as you might think. Over the past month, staff at the Men's Shelter have helped about a dozen men move out of the shelter and into a place of their own. With almost 500 men staying in the shelter each night, a dozen sounds like an awfully small number. However, with the extreme shortage of housing with rents less than $400 per month, you wonder how in the world were a dozen men able to find a place they could afford.

This week the City Council held an public hearing regarding the upcoming budget. A bunch of people, prompted mainly by the advocacy committee of the Homeless Services Network, turned out in force to speak in favor of increasing funding for the Housing Trust Fund to $30 million dollars. They spoke of the hundreds of millions of dollars the city plans to spend on roads, sidewalks, and curbs in contrast to the $10 million proposed for the Trust Fund. By the way, of that $10 million, $7.5 million has already been designated for projects, leaving just $2.5 million for affordable housing over the NEXT FOURS YEARS!

One of the speakers was Anthony Spinner, a former guest at the Men's Shelter of Charlotte and active alumni in our Peer Advisory Committee. Mr. Spinner spoke of his difficulties finding employment, but took solace in having a place of his own to call home. He talked about those who continue to experience homelessness because there is no where for them to live that they can afford. A number of other speakers also shared their trouble obtaining affordable housing and desire for fellow homeless citizens to be able to leave the shelters for a place of their own. This will only happen when Charlotte puts as much emphasis on truly affordable housing as it does on roads, entertainment venues, and skyscrapers.

Please join me and the Men's Shelter in supporting a humanitarian cause - providing affordable housing that our most vulnerable citizens can afford. Support a $30 million dollar affordable Housing Trust Fund. Call your City Council member. Mr. Spinner made his voice be heard.

One Day Away!

2010-04-29T15:28:00.002-04:00

Last year the end of April was a pretty sullen time for me. The Emergency Winter Shelter was closing for the season and I knew that we were going to turn a lot of men away from the Uptown Shelter simply because there wouldn't be enough space for everyone. In fact, on May 1st well over a hundred men had no place to sleep because there weren't enough shelter beds for all.

This year is very different! Because Uptown Shelter and the Emergency Winter Shelter merged last October and became Men's Shelter of Charlotte, we are now able to keep both shelters open year round. So, instead of preparing to disappoint a lot of men counting on us, I feel much better this spring because we're only one day away from saying "don't worry, we have room for you at the Men's Shelter."

With 500 year-round shelter beds available and 500 men currently staying in our shelters, Men's Shelter of Charlotte couldn't be more proud that we're able to meet the needs of our community and its most vulnerable citizens. And, truth bed told, we can only do this with the ongoing financial support of our community. Thank you.

A Word from Our Guests

2010-04-16T10:59:00.002-04:00

At the Men's Shelter we refer to our clients as "guests." We do so because we want the men who seek our assistance to feel welcome and to know this is a temporary step in their quest to move beyond homelessness. Our guests have a group called the Peer Advisory Committee (PAC) that any current or former homeless man accessing the Men's Shelter is welcome to join. Their stated mission is "to advocate the concerns of the community with staff, to ensure the fairness for all and the quality of life during one's stay at the Men's Shelter of Charlotte."

Each month the PAC puts out their own newsletter within the shelter. I want to share their lead story in April's edition titled "Love has Risen."

During this season following Easter, the Peer Advisory Group would like to thank our community partners, the Board of Directors and the Staff of the Men's Shelter of Charlotte. We would like to recognize their decision to have the Statesville facility [Statesville Avenue Campus] open for evening housing year round. It is with our greatest appreciation to those that made this possible. It is our belief that when men are restored to stability, only then can we accomplish positive life goals. Goals such as self-sufficiency and bonding with family and loved ones; as well as society as a whole. Our success is based on the resources available, and the referrals to community support services which the Men's Shelter of Charlotte provides. Having the Statesville facility open year-round is another important resource that guests now have available. Again, thank you to all those involved in this accomplishment.

Who could ask for a better endorsement of the critical work the Men's Shelter provides to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County community? My thanks to our guests for sharing their appreciation.

Homelessness Isn't Seasonal

2010-03-16T07:18:00.006-04:00

Winter is hopefully coming to an end. With that hope comes the anxiety that people will think the worst is over for our homeless citizens until fall because warmer weather makes not having a home easier. Well, last night we sheltered 469 men on our two campuses and that number was low compared to other nights just this week. When Room In the Inn closes at the end of this month, we expect more men will come to our doors - and we're ready to help them.

Did you know that national studies show that slightly more homeless people die in summer months (51%) than in winter? Think about it for a moment. We've had a rough winter but it's been a bit unusual. Now, think about the brutal summer months experienced in this part of the Carolinas. Hot, humid days exacerbates all kinds of health conditions, sometimes with deadly consequences. Remember that summer brings ozone warnings and prodding to stay indoors on excessively hot days. But what if you don't have a place indoors to go? That's why the Men's Shelter is open year round - because the men we serve need our help to get through all of the seasons.

So, as you do like I do and begin to enjoy getting out doors more and looking forward to the pleasure that warmer weather brings, please don't forget that homelessness in our community is not seasonal. The demand for our shelter is as high as ever and we need your help - please help us help homeless men with your financial gift today.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-07T07:27:00.002-05:00

A new year and a new decade - 2010 - we're already off to a wonderful start. In case you have missed this news lately, here's a few highlights:

The Critical Need Response Fund has been relaunched by the Foundation for the Carolinas and the Leon Levine Foundation. The Men's Shelter was one of three initial recipients and was awarded $150,000!
The Community Catalyst Fund, managed by the Foundation for the Carolinas, has made its first grant awards and MSC is receiving the largest grant in this first round - $200,000.
It's been terribly cold lately, yet MSC remains strong in our commitment to ensure every homeless man seeking shelter has a place to stay with us - we've already surpassed the 500 mark for number of men sheltered on one night.

What does all of this mean? The funding is making our merger transition easier and helping us prepare to implement our 500 Bed Plan. We're already getting lots of practice at safely and effectively sheltering large numbers of homeless men. This is building the foundation for our Homeless Transition Center, which we plan to open by 2015. Want to know more about our 500 Bed Plan? Visit our website: www.MensShelterofCharlotte.org and check out our home page.

Happy New Year and many thanks to all who have supported the MSC this past holiday season, over the years, and into the new decade. We can only remain successful in our mission to Help Homeless Men with full support of our community.

Men's Shelter Welcomes New Associate Executive Director for Client Services

2009-12-08T07:24:00.002-05:00

Ashely Milano Barnett joined the Men's Shelter on December 7, 2009 to provide overall leadership f0r our client service delivery efforts and to enhance our already strong management team. Ashely has spent the last eight years at the Urban Ministry Center, is well known by the men we serve and the agencies we partner with, and has a solid background in social work. Ashley will supervise our emergency shelter, case management, and supportive services. We're all very excited to have Ashley on the Men's Shelter team.

Lots to Be Thankful For

2009-11-25T11:56:00.003-05:00

It's been an amazing year of ups and downs. Our community, our agency, and the men we serve have suffered through a bad economy. Our agency has faced budget cuts, increased demand for help, and fewer resources to go around. More men are homeless in Charlotte than ever before.

On the bright side, our agency has met its challenges this year and is healthy and meeting the needs of those men experiencing homelessness. The community has been tremendously supportive. We have also been blessed with an outpouring of groups wanting to make this Thanksgiving special for those we serve.

Yesterday, the Carolina Panthers served our men a steak dinner with all of the fixings! Rookie players, Topcat Cheerleaders, and Sir Purr did the serving. Everyone had a wonderful time - the food was great, the fellowship was heartwarming!

Last night OrthoCarolina and Our Hearts to Your Soles were on hand fitting me for the new shoes they donated. It's amazing, and understanding, how much a new pair of shoes can lift up one's spirits. I'm not sure who walked away more thankful, the men or the volunteers.

Today, our men are being treated to another special lunch thanks to a foundation associated with Raymond Felton (Charlotte Bobcats).

Tomorrow, our men and all of our homeless citizens are invited for lunch at the Charlotte Rescue Mission. The Rescue Mission truly provides a Thanksgiving feast and fellowship to match.

I have much to be thankful for - my family, my health, my staff, and the privilege of working with the homeless men we encounter every day. Maybe this year has had more ups than downs after all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Carson

Winter Season

2009-11-11T09:38:00.002-05:00

Winter is well underway at the Men's Shelter and it really hasn't even gotten cold yet. With the opening of our Statesville Ave campus for the season on October 1st and the expanded capacity at our Tryon Street campus, we're already averaging close to 400 men per night! Even more alarming is the dramatic rise in men coming to the shelters that have never been here before - almost 300! Our commitment to the men we serve and to the community is that no man experiencing homelessness who is seeking shelter will be turned away this winter. That's a lofty goal and I know our staff is up to the challenge. But to be successful, we need a lot of help. We need to raise more money this year to meet the growing demands for emergency shelter and and basic needs (food, shelter, clothing, etc.). We need more volunteers to help serve meals and to help with activities at our shelters. We need more donations of new underwear, socks, and coats. We need you to consider making a financial gift and volunteering your time today. Please visit www.MensShelterofCharlotte.org now to find out more.

Just try to imagine for a moment what it must have felt like last night in the pouring rain, chilly temperature, and nasty winds to have been struggling to survive on the streets.

We're Now the Men's Shelter of Charlotte!

2009-10-01T15:01:00.003-04:00

It's finally official - Uptown Shelter and Emergency Winter Shelter are one organization. Our goal is to be the safety net for homeless men by identifying and filling service gaps, ensuring an adequate supply of emergency shelter beds, and offering a continuum of supportive services that help men move beyond homelessness.

Please visit www.MensShelterofCharlotte.org to learn more.

Uptown Shelter and Emergency Winter Shelter Merge

2009-09-25T08:31:00.002-04:00

On Thursday, October 1st, Uptown Shelter and Emergency Winter Shelter will hold a press conference at 11:00am to announce the completion of our merger and to unveil our new name and logo. The event will be held at our Statesville Avenue Campus, 3410 Statesville Ave., Charlotte. Joining us for the event will be County Commissioner Jennifer Roberts; Hal Weatherman, Chief of Staff for Representative Sue Myrick; Laura Meyer, Executive Vice President of the Foundation for the Carolinas; Chris Jackson, Vice President of Community Building for the United Way of Central Carolinas; and our board, staff, and many, many supporters. The event is open to the public.

We will also be celebrating the opening of our Statesville Ave Campus for the winter season, so the building will be open for tours. Our winter season runs October 1st through the end of April.

For more information about the media event on October 1st, please contact Trish Hobson, Community Development Director, at 704.334.3187 x 109.

Thank You Volunteers!

2009-08-27T13:41:00.002-04:00

This morning Uptown Shelter hosted a breakfast to thank our many volunteers. For those of you who missed it, please know we were thinking of you and we appreciate you for your commitment to helping us help homeless men. Our volunteers help in so many ways - their work keeps our labor costs down, their in-kind contributions keeps our overhead low, and their compassion keeps our men's spirits high. What a win-win volunteering is for everyone involved! If you'd like to know more about volunteer opportunities at Uptown Shelter please contact Linda Miller, Volunteer Coordinator, at 704.334.3187 x 111 or linda.miller@uptownshelter.org.

Project Hope: Too Bad It's Not A Clunker

2009-08-25T07:10:00.002-04:00

Charlotte is getting a good infusion of federal stimulus dollars soon - almost $2 million! To get it the city had to amend its consolidated plan based on fifty plus pages of federal regulations (or guidance if you like euphemisms). Not a small undertaking to get a relatively small amount of money. I'm not bemoaning an extra $2 million to help homeless families and individuals in Charlotte. In addition to getting the money, this process has been a wonderful collaborative effort between local government and nonprofit service providers. My hat's off to Stan Wilson with the City for asking service providers for their input in developing Project Hope. And my hat's off to Crisis Assistance Ministry for agreeing to administer the funds. I've read the regulations and managing this program will be a bear. In the end, Project Hope will help a hundred or so homeless families and individuals obtain housing and have a real chance to remain housed. That's great news! Realistically, however, it's 100 out of 6,000 who are experiencing homelessness in Charlotte. This is where I wish we could call the program a Clunker.

The federal government proved through the Cash for Clunkers program that it could release significant money fast to address an issue important to the country. In fact, when the first allotment of Clunker money ran out fast, the government quickly released more money. The beauty in this program was how simple, relative to government bureaucracy of course, that it was to implement. Too bad stimulus money to help the homeless wasn't housed in this part of the federal government. Don't get me wrong, standards and outcomes are important; but stimulus money was supposed to be immediate help for pressing problems during economic hardship. Project Hope has been on the drawing board for several months - not the fault of anyone locally, it's just that the federal regulations and process has been very time consuming.

I guess I'm flabbergasted that we, as a nation, are more concerned with helping people buy new cars than get a roof over their heads. Cash for Clunkers helped middle and upper class Americans get into luxury cars while thousands of homeless Americans continue to sleep in cars that are too old to even qualify for Cash for Clunkers!

Anyway, I'm excited about Project Hope - it will be good for many experiencing homelessness in Charlotte - it was a great collaborative effort on a scale never attempted by local government and homeless service providers - and hopefully it will raise more awareness about the homeless crisis Charlotte is experiencing. If only we could get the program classified a Clunker then maybe we could get even more to help more - fast!

Carson Dean joins Bea Thompson on Straight Talk

2009-07-27T19:26:00.004-04:00

After hearing about our upcoming merger with the Emergency Winter Shelter, Bea Thompson asked me to join her on Straight Talk to discuss the exciting news. Take a few minutes and check out the inteview on www.v1019.com. A very special thanks to Bea and WBAV 101.9 for inviting me on her show and, more importantly, for helping keep our community informed.

Big News!

2009-07-23T16:29:00.003-04:00

Uptown Shelter and the Emergency Winter Shelter are merging! We held a joint press conference this morning so look for us on the local news. I must express my appreciation for the work done by both boards of directors. Throughout this process the homeless men we both serve were foremost on their minds. I am excited about this announcement because I know that together we can do more to meet the needs of men experiencing homelessness in our community. I am also excited about working with John White, the EWS Shelter Director. To learn more check out both websites and Face Book pages (www.UptownShelter.org and www.ewscharlotte.org). Once I've had a chance to slow down a bit I'll share more about this important milestone on this blog.

Cool New Blog to Check Out!

2009-07-12T10:55:00.002-04:00

The National Alliance to End Homelessness has recently launched their own blog. This one is really cool and very useful, not only to those of us working to end homelessness, but to anyone interested in learning more about homelessness. Check it out at www.abouthomelessness.blogspot.com. I know I'll be adding it to my list of frequently visited blogs.

Covenant Prebyterian Church to the rescue!

2009-06-29T16:28:00.002-04:00

On Thursday, June 25th I received a call from Carla Leaf, Director of Community Outreach Ministries at Covenant Presbyterian Church. Having read about the United Way's cut to our emergency shelter the previous day, Carla informed me that Covenant wanted to help and was donating $29,000 to cover this loss in United Way funding! I was on my way home when she called and could barely contain my joy. I told Carla that we were expecting this cut from the United Way but were adamant not to reduce the extra bed capacity that we worked so hard this past year to build. Now at 268 year round beds, we had faith that despite losing a total of over $96,000 in United Way funding we would find a way to make sure no bed capacity was lost. And then, out of the blue, Covenant came to the rescue. I cannot completely put into words the appreciation our agency has for Covenant's generosity and willingness to step forward. I can only say that the homeless men we serve will be the true beneficiaries of Covenant's gift. My sincerest thanks to the entire congregation at Convenant Presbyterian Church.

Uptown Shelter receives $96k cut from United Way

2009-06-29T16:22:00.003-04:00

On Wednesday, June 24th the Charlotte Observer reported on the front page that Uptown Shelter received a 12.9% reduction from the previous year totaling $28,587. This is only partly true. The United Way provides funding to four components at Uptown Shelter. Our emergency services did receive a $28k cut. However, our substance abuse, mental health, and transitional support components were also cut. In total, Uptown Shelter's United Way funding was cut $96,646 or 27.5%! I've had several people congratulate me on being cut only 19% and I just wanted to set the record straight.

Family Dollar Supports Uptown Shelter

2009-06-01T20:11:00.002-04:00

Charlotte-based Family Dollar Stores has recently adopted Uptown Shelter by providing quarterly in-kind support. Several times each year, a Family Dollar truck will deliver toilet paper, sugar, laundry detergent and a host of other items Uptown Shelter needs to operate. This in-kind support has a retail value of about $40,000 per quarter and will save the shelter $20,000 from its operations budget each year. Uptown Shelter is proud to partner with Family Dollar, a corporation in tune with the needs of hard working men, women, and families. Thanks to COO Jim Kelly and the rest of the Family Dollar team!

Thanks to UNCC CCANN

2009-05-11T09:01:00.002-04:00

The Community Change and Action Network for Non-Profit Organizations project (CCANN) at UNC Charlotte selected Uptown Shelter as its first CCANN Grant recipient. On Friday, May 1, I was joined by Uptown Shelter Board Member Sue Marchetti and Development Director Melinda Dutcher to receive a check for $7,500 from Dr. Dennis Long, Chair of the Social Work Department at UNCC. Also involved in the presentation was Megan Gandy, Graduate Assistant to the 2009 CCANN Project an Dr. Lori Thomas, Assistant Professor in the Social Work Department. A large number of students took time out from the busy schedule as classes were ending to attend the presentation ceremony. Many thanks to the students and faculty who determined that Uptown Shelter exemplified what they were looking for in their inaugural grant recipient. This grant will go a long way towards our mission of helping homeless men, particularly during this tough economic period.

Solidarity

2009-04-28T12:54:00.002-04:00

This Friday night, Homeless Helping Homeless, a grass-roots group advocating for people experiencing homelessness, will hold a Solidarity Sleep Out in Uptown Charlotte's Marshall Park. Winter has come to an end and, so, the emergency shelter programs that operate only during the winter months are now closing. The result is that beginning May 1st at least 200-300 homeless men will have no access to emergency shelter. Uptown Shelter has expanded its capacity to 268 beds, but it isn't nearly enough. In addition, the immediate need for emergency shelter space in Charlotte for women, children, and families continues to surpass capacity.

This is a COMMUNITY issue and I hope the community will turn out in force to hear more about the problem, raise their collective voice to demand a solution, and fellowship with our less fortunate citizens. The rally beginning at 7pm has an impressive line up of speakers and entertainment. Elected officials, nonprofit leaders, those experiencing homelessness, faith leaders, and students all plan to participate. Afterwards all are invited to spend the night in the park - the housed and the homeless.

Charlotte - Mecklenburg County is a wonderful place to live, work, and play. After only six or seven months living here my family has adopted the community as our hometown. However, as a community we have for too long ignored our most vulnerable citizens and now we have a crisis on our hands. Please join me Friday as we all work in SOLIDARITY to make sure everyone has a roof over their heads.

What To Do As Winter Comes To An End?

2009-04-01T08:37:00.002-04:00

Each winter, in an effort to prevent the unnecessary death of any homeless man on the streets, the Emergency Winter Shelter and Urban Ministry Center's Room at the Inn open their doors to take in men who might otherwise remain on the streets. Uptown Shelter, already at capacity, expands its overflow capacity as well and, through this partnership, as many as 300-400 men are spared from the winter elements. Last night, Urban Ministry Center's program ended its winter schedule and the Emergency Winter Shelter will close at the end of April. The community is greatly appreciative of their efforts during the hardest months of the year. The question I'm getting now is what will Uptown Shelter do with all of these extra men seeking shelter? I wish I could say we have room for them all, but we don't. The unfortunate reality is that many men who found shelter, if only for a night, this winter will be without a place to stay this spring and summer.

In the midst of a sour economy, potential budget cuts, and increased demand, we have spent the last several weeks wrestling with what more we can effectively do. In September, Uptown Shelter increased its bed capacity to 238. In October we committed to 47 additional spaces during the winter months, affordable through the graciousness of the Critical Need Response Fund. In fact, we actually averaged about 77 additional spaces, often sheltering more than 300 per night. We wish we could continue this level of overflow and actually offer space to all who ask for it, but that costs money which we don't have and requires more space than our facility will accommodate. However, after much thought as to what we can afford to do and how many more men we can effectively shelter, we have a plan.

Uptown Shelter is adding 30 year round spaces to the 238 we already have, bringing our total capacity to 268. In cases of severe, life threatening weather, no matter what time of year, we will we expand that capacity to help prevent unnecessary deaths due to exposure to the elements.

We know this is not a perfect solution and that many homeless men will still go without shelter until the Emergency Winter Shelter and Room at the Inn start up again next winter. Yet, at the same time, we know that we are doing everything within our ability to meet the needs of homeless men in our community - after all helping homeless men is why Uptown Shelter exists.

The Time Is Now

2009-03-20T08:55:00.002-04:00

Last night I was invited to be a guest on the show "The Time is Now" on public access television channel 21. My thanks to John Henney for the invitation and for devoting a show on homelessness. The crew was fanatastic, the hosts were engaging, and the experience was a good one. The show broadcasts on Mondays at 10:30pm, so please check them out and look for the episode highlighting Uptown Shelter.

The Power of Teamwork

2009-03-19T18:18:00.002-04:00

The staff at Uptown Shelter has been working for a couple of months as a group to develop a set of principles to guide our work. At today's staff meeting they voted to adopt the final version. I am impressed with their work and proud of their effort. A document is useful if we continue to breathe life into it - just look at our nation's constitution. I could think of no better way to begin making ours a "living document" than to put it out there for all to see. So...

Principles to Live By While Working at Uptown Shelter

As Uptown Shelter staff we will always strive to...

Empower our guests to take control of their lives

Treat everyone with dignity and respect

Facilitate a positive, safe environment for personal growth

Work as a team

Remain unbiased and ethical in our interactions with others

Work with integrity and honesty

Communicate effectively and maintain consistency in all of our interactions

Have compassion and understanding for the situation of others

Now you see why I'm proud of our staff.

Homelessness Takes No Holiday

2009-02-16T16:11:00.003-05:00

Today's a holiday - President's Day. Many of us either don't get this holiday off from work or decide to work anyway, after all it's not July 4th or Thanksgiving. I've spent most of my President's Day locked in my office, without the usual and necessary interruptions, trying to catch up on email, paperwork, and other routine matters. Twice today, shelter guests have come by my office asking for a moment of my time - no problem. As I started wrapping up my work to go home, the fact that today is a holiday, but not for all, really struck me. I chose to work on President's Day. I chose not to stay home with my family, or go shopping, or catch a mid-day movie. I'm thankful that I can choose what I do on this holiday. For many of the men we serve, today isn't a holiday. For some its a day off without pay because their employer is closed to celebrate President's Day. For others it's just another day. After all, homelessness takes no holiday. I wonder what Presidents Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln would think of that?

Gaining Momentum?

2009-01-30T16:41:00.002-05:00

I recently attended a "housing meeting" sponsored by the Foundation for the Carolinas to gather feedback from a variety of stakeholders in the community regarding homelessness and affordable housing. Part of the Foundations' purpose was to learn more and see where they might be of assistance. It was an impressive collection of diversity and the conversations were informative and encouraging. I know many may be thinking, yeah, another meeting, just what we need! I had the same reservation going into the meeting but left feeling the afternoon was well spent.

It also seems like there is at least one news article in the paper or on television each week discussing the issue of homelessness and highlighting positive efforts like Hall House, the collaborative effort to provide homeless families with children in Mecklenburg County schools temporary housing until the end of the school year.

At Uptown Shelter our staff have committed themselves to serving more men during this harsh winter and so we're averaging over 300 per night since the week before Christmas. Kudos to all the front line folks in our shelter and throughout the community who have stepped up to serve more with less!

The federal government has actually increased some funding resources available to emergency shelters and crisis assistance programs the last couple of years. In addition, there are several faces friendly to the issues of homelesnnes in new positions in state government - Moses Carey (former Orange County Commissioner and Chair of the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness) as head of the Employment Security Commission and Janet Cowell (former Raleigh City Council Member and State Representative) as State Treasurer are two good examples that I know.

At last count, I think there are now about 15 communities in NC with 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness - Greenville/Pitt County being the latest (congratulations!).

For all the talk about not enough being done to prevent, address, and end homelessness - I'm probably one of the loudest voices - it appears that maybe, just maybe, we're beginning to gain some momentum. I'll take every little gain we can make!

2008-12-29T16:44:00.003-05:00

This posting falls under the heading of "In the true spirit of the holidays..." Last week five of the men served by the Uptown Shelter gave their time, energy, and elbow grease to help others they may never meet. Local agencies, community leaders, and others have worked hard over the past few weeks to raise the money needed to open Hall House for six months to homeless families with children in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system. As the last of the funds were being sought, work began on cleaning up the facility that would become home to those families. A request for labor was sent out, asking people to donate a couple of hours to help clean and paint. Uptown Shelter's Facilities Director, William Hicks, assembled a volunteer team made up entirely of residents at the Uptown Shelter and they spent the afternoon scrubbing whatever they found in need of scrubbing. My holiday heroes this year are Gary, Jacob, Nathaniel, Paul, and Tim (not to mention William). Thanks guys!

2008-12-19T15:44:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays! The past few days at Uptown Shelter have certainly been festive. Thanks to many supporters, including concerned citizens and the foundations of NBA players Antoine Jamison and Gerald Wallace, our men received new shoes, jackets, and a visit from Santa Claus! Today a special color guard presentation was made before lunch to remember and honor our country's veterans, including way too many who are experiencing homelessness (George, thanks for preparing lunch). Even in tough times, our donors have reached out to make sure we can continue helping homeless men through generous gifts of money, time, and needed items. As we all get ready to focus on our families next week, which we should and deserve to do, I hope you will also take a moment to remember, not only those people experiencing homelessness this Christmas, but also the many dedicated staff who will be at work on the holidays. I personally want to thank those on my staff who will be here Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day - you know who you are - thank you!

2008-12-02T20:07:00.002-05:00

Today's announcement of a partnership to create the Critical Need Response Fund, and the generous gift from Mr. & Mrs Levine to get it started, is big news for our community. The uncertain economy and increased demand for services has created a lot of anxiety among service providers. It's good to see the community challenged to help provide a bit of extra relief during what's already turing into an unusally cold winter. If you haven't heard about this time-limited fund check out the Foundation for the Carolinas website at www.fftc.org for more information. As an agency executive director, I applaud all involved for stepping up to the plate (pardon my baseball metaphor duing football season)!

2008-11-26T10:37:00.003-05:00

Yesterday the Carolina Panthers visited Uptown Shelter and provided an early Thanksgiving lunch. The food was incredible - steak, potatoes, green beans, salad, and cake! What a fantastic job the Panther's chef did preparing lunch for 200. The meal was dished up by the rookie players and some even helped with the dishes. Cheerleaders served tea and signed a lot of autographs. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and put many smiles on the faces of our men.

So, why was this so important? While the holidays are a joyful time, for some it is also a time of anxiety and melancholy. Think about it for a minute ... what spending the holidays in a shelter might be like for people experiencing homelessness? To offer, even for a little while, some time to relax, enjoy a good meal, and hang out with professional football players and cheerleaders was certainly a treat that everyone will remember for a long time. Isn't that what the holidays are, at least, partly about - creating fond memories?

Our thanks to the Carolina Panthers for spending a few hours at Uptown Shelter yesterday. Check our their experience here at http://www.panthers.com/.

Happy Thanksgiving.

It's Cold!

2008-11-21T15:12:00.000-05:00

It's cold. I woke up this morning and noticed the power had gone out in our neighborhood and the house temperature was about 60 degrees. I hoped real hard that there would be hot water when I got in the shower because there was no way I was going to take a cold shower. After a nice hot shower and getting dressed, I put on my warm leather coat and stepped out into the morning chill. It's cold! As I drove to work I started thinking about those in our community who slept outside last night and I felt petty for complaining about being chilly (not really cold) in my comfortable house with hot water and plenty to eat for breakfast; not to mention getting into my own truck (with heat) to drive to my job. I guess my point is that it's not so cold for me. However, it got dangerously cold last night for our neighbors without homes who walked the streets or found some place outside that was at least shielded from the wind.

The shelters around Charlotte were full last night, including Uptown Shelter, and that's a good thing. A lot of people found a safe, warm place to sleep. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of citizens in our community whose only concern last night was staying alive.

Regardless of the temperature, tonight I won't be saying "it's cold."