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Old 06-20-2009, 07:06 PM
 
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Whether by foreclosure, string of bad luck or a set of circumstances that puts someone out at the curbside...where do the homeless go. Of course, there is always the option of going back to where you came from if you are/were a transplant. Or, back to family. For those that don't even have that option what do they do?

Being a New Yorker I am familiar with public shelters, sleeping in cardbaord villas, or sleeping on the subway as a means of shelter.I can't recall actually seeing people sleeping in the streets in CLT although I think it might be happening around the Public library in Uptown or on the benches.

Does CLT provide for the homeless??
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Old 06-20-2009, 07:32 PM
 
Location: Mint Hill, NC
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One I know about is a "soup" kitchen just over 277 from Uptown that provides 1 meal a day. They have a few beds there also. When the weather is inclement they team up with area churches to provide shelter for more of the homeless than they can house. This is really bad - I'm drawing a complete blank on the name!! I've volunteered there a few times. They have a garden that supplements the kitchen.
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Old 06-20-2009, 07:50 PM
 
Location: North Carolina
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I've noticed there are barely any vagrants in Charlotte too. In Cleveland there were tons. Idk where they go? Maybe there is one area where they all congregate? No clue really. Informative post by me. Lol.
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Old 06-20-2009, 09:10 PM
 
Location: State of Being
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We had a count a few months ago and in uptown Charlotte alone, over 5000 people were counted as homeless. That was only uptown, if I understood correctly.

We know that there are people sleeping in cars at church parking lots, for example, and doubtful they got counted.

I talked w/ a licensed social worker and was told that we would be shocked if we realized how many families are living out of cars right now - here in Charlotte.

It is difficult to get a handle on it, b/c so many services are from volunteer organizations - food banks, for ex.

We also know f/ reports at the animal shelter that people are abandoning their pets b/c they say they "have no place to keep them." It is not always known whether this means people are moving into apartments and have no $$ for the pets or whether they are literally living on the streets or out of their cars.

There are churches all over the area who provide at least some shelter for displaced people. Places such as the Salvation Army do not have accommodations for families to stay together. I believe if a mom is there w/ a daughter and son - and the son is 16 or older, he cannot stay w/ mom and sister.

We know that people are sleeping around SouthPark, in between bushes and behind buildings. So in the midst of "plenty" - there are sad stories being played out - and most of us are never even aware of what is going on.
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Old 06-21-2009, 02:50 AM
 
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Very informative post Ani. Thanks.

To add in just a little, I know that as recently as last month, someone in Charlotte is still providing bus tickets for homeless individuals to travel ("relocate") to the coast.

I'm not sure why anyone would think it's a good idea for a homeless person to travel to Wilmington in the dead of summer when those shelters already are overflowing... but at least some of the people without a home in Charlotte are making the choice to travel to other locations.

When I worked at a hospital a few years back, we had several homeless patients who had only just arrived in NC thanks to bus tickets from social service agencies in New York and New Jersey.

I like to believe it's a kind hearted gesture designed to give someone a fresh start... but my supervisor took the view that it's some areas' way of dealing with their homeless problem... shipping it elsewhere.

I have to say that I did it once myself... helped a client get a bus ticket to a new town knowing that they were not very likely to make an independent start there and would probably remain homeless. I still have a little guilt over the choice to support their decision...
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Old 06-21-2009, 09:27 AM
 
Location: State of Being
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Quote:
Originally Posted by InformationPlease View Post
Very informative post Ani. Thanks.

To add in just a little, I know that as recently as last month, someone in Charlotte is still providing bus tickets for homeless individuals to travel ("relocate") to the coast.

I'm not sure why anyone would think it's a good idea for a homeless person to travel to Wilmington in the dead of summer when those shelters already are overflowing... but at least some of the people without a home in Charlotte are making the choice to travel to other locations.

When I worked at a hospital a few years back, we had several homeless patients who had only just arrived in NC thanks to bus tickets from social service agencies in New York and New Jersey.

I like to believe it's a kind hearted gesture designed to give someone a fresh start... but my supervisor took the view that it's some areas' way of dealing with their homeless problem... shipping it elsewhere.

I have to say that I did it once myself... helped a client get a bus ticket to a new town knowing that they were not very likely to make an independent start there and would probably remain homeless. I still have a little guilt over the choice to support their decision...
Don't feel guilty about it. Sometimes, it can be helpful to relocate, especially if there is more of a chance of finding a job in a new city.

Altho I think you are correct - offering bus tickets is more or less just a way of transporting misery to a new location . . . w/ the unemployment rate being so high here in Charlotte, getting someone to a new town may mean more possibility for work. However, I have my doubts as to how altruistic it really is to bus the hapless to another place w/o a support system to greet them on arrival.

One of our local TV stations is running a story on this subject this weekend. Cant' remember wh/ station I saw it on this morning . . . but essentially, the bottom line is that the Salvation Army is overwhelmed and waiting to hear about funding from the United Way. I am sending in a small donation this week to the Salvation Army, and I hope others will do the same. Even $10 helps - and it does add up. The SA is one of the best run charitable organizations in the country - and they do so much for the homeless in our community.
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Old 06-21-2009, 09:30 AM
 
Location: NC
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Charlotte Disturber this morning runs an article on this very subject.
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Old 06-21-2009, 09:36 AM
 
Location: State of Being
35,879 posts, read 77,087,438 times
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Guess we should try to find links . . . I will see if I can find a link for the news story on TV this morning.

Here is what I viewed this morning, on WCNC:

http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/wcnc-062009-sjf-hallhouseclosing.dde60f9.html (broken link)
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Old 06-21-2009, 09:52 AM
 
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Atlanta.
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Old 04-20-2010, 04:25 AM
 
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These ppl here on this thread defintely havent been uptown. Yes there are alot of homeless uptown chlt.
Around the shelter and the soup kitchen. Some of them collect checks and smoke alot of crack cocaine with your tax dollars lol. Although some others are looking for work and cant find anything. Who wants to hire a homeless person? They got it rough. Especially chlt nc being so conservative work for the homeless is slim in a place that is use to seeing the white kids go to unc and duke they just cant relate.
Its sad.
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