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Just tap on one of these buttons and we'll help send you down the right path to get what you need

Or.. Continue to scroll down if you want to see the vast list of resources in Charlotte to help you

Care Ring

I visited CareRing today first as a researcher for this site and second as a patient. (more about that later) They have a big white van that comes to various sites across the city on a scheduled basis. Picture them as a low-cost / no-cost clinic.

Their free services include Care Coordination (they will help you find the health resource you need and the medical insurance to pay for most or all of it. NEVER avoid seeking medical care because you don't think you can pay for it!  They will also do free health screenings like blood pressure and diabetes testing. But here is what makes them extra special. Once you find your way to one of their visiting sites, they will put you in their database as a patient. Once you're a patient, they will provide free transportation to get you to their van for future visits. All you have to do is call 704-926-9270 and they will pick you up. So make the first trip there and become a patient so you can get that free pick-up if you get sick!

Their van will be on each of these sites from noon until 4pm. Here are the days for their weekly visits:

Site Name	Address	Bus #
Tuesdays at  7-Eleven	801 N. Wendover 28211	15
Wednesdays at Food Lion	4001 Sunset Rd 28216	7
Thursdays at  Block Love	2738 N Graham 28206	22

Here's a little something about me. I thought I was perfectly healthy but I asked them to check my blood pressure so I could see how their service worked. It turns out I had high blood pressure and did not know it. The same could be true for you. 

Promise Resource Network

 Promise Resource Network is a magical place. The minute

you walk in their door (actually, the back door) you will sense the love, acceptance and peer-support that's rare in most places.  To be clear, their mission is not to be a homeless shelter. The previous link will help you see those. Their mission is to help those who have mild mental health issues to come to terms with those problems and work through them. And lucky-for-you, they define the anguish and stress brought on by being homeless as a mental health issue. So, if you pay them a visit, you will definitely NOT be the only one in your situation. If you don't believe me, just call their "warm" line at 1-855-733-7762. 

There are zero barriers to entry at PRN. Just walk up or take the #27 bus to 1401 7th St and come on in. Their hours of 8:30 to 4p. They won't make you submit to a detailed county-based coordinated entry. And of course, all their programs are at no-charge. I especially like their coffee shop. When you come into PRN, you won't be encouraged to sit in a corner by yourself because this is about more than shelter. You will be encouraged to talk to your peers who have been through some of the same challenges. That's one of the purposes of their in-house coffee shop.

Here's a link to Promise Resource Network. Their website is excellent and will give you even more detail about the great programs they offer.

Charlotte Rescue Mission

 The Charlotte Rescue Mission has been in Charlotte for over 85 years. Once an addict has come through detox, their 120-day, regimented, rules-based system has a lofty and consistent 70% success rate. This is well above the national average.

They clearly spell out the requirements for entry into their program on THIS webpage. That page has a clear list of what ID documents to bring and who to call or email. Like every other resource in Charlotte, programs that work have a waiting list. So do these three things to make sure you get on that list. 

1. Gather together all the ID documents you need to bring to your first appointment. Get a Case Manager or a Peer Support worker on one of the other resources here on our site to help you gather those documents up.
2. Use the email address on their webpage to request an appointment. Of course you can call, but there's less likelihood that your request will fall through a crack if you send an email and get a confirmation.
3. Follow-up weekly by email or phone.

If you are lucky enough to gain entry there are a few things you need to know...

• This is a residential program lasting 120 days. 
• There's one program for men called Rebound and one program for women called Dove's Nest. They are at different locations
• The program is no charge, but it requires a very serious commitment from you.
• Because it's so successful, you might not get an appointment immediately. Keep trying and following up with them until you make it.
• This is a faith-based program and there is a spiritual component to it. You will be required to attend a religious service every Sunday.

Good luck!!

Camino

 Camino is one of the largest resource providers in Charlotte.

This is just one of the many buildings at their location and serves as their head office.
Camino is the resource provider whose native language is Spanish and the overwhelming majority of their clients are Hispanic. They are conveniently located just around the block from the University City Lynx Light Rail station. 

They offer case managers to help connect people to legal services. They also have a Workforce Development Program, called Arriba, that connects people to different educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. They have a church, a health center and clothing thrift store which are all on site.

They can also help you register with Mecklenburg's Coordinated Entry program, but that is not a requirement to get help from Camino. 

Their hours are 8a ~ 5p Monday to Friday. 704-596-5606

A Roof Above Day Services

 A Roof Above - Day Services Center (HUB) & Resource Center

There are two buildings at the very end of North College St.  Here's where they are. Here's a map to their location. You can take either bus 11 or bus 21 from the Transportation Center. Or it's a 20-minute walk. 

Both of these buildings open their doors at 8:30a. This newer building is the Day Services Center. This is where they have basic services like showers, laundry, restrooms, outlets for your phone chargers, phones and mail. They serve lunch here Monday ~ Sunday, 11:15a~12:15p. (on Sunday, no other services are available) The side door, the one that faces up toward College Street, is where they do sign-ups for a permanent bed at the Tryon or Howard Levine Shelters. That sign-up is only open from 8:30a ~ 9:00a!!!

Visiting this facility can be the first step to obtaining emergency shelter. If you don't have a Coordinated Entry card, they can make one for you. The emergency shelters on N. Tryon are always full. You can sign up here for the lottery to gain access to shelter that night. Sign-up begins at 8:30a Monday to Saturday. For women or women & children, you can put your name on the daily list for access to the Salvation Army Center of Hope shelter.You can sign up to see a nurse here too. She's on site Tueday ~ Thursday. The nurse can help you with prescription assistance and over-the-counter meds.  Here is the daily schedule:

Day Services Center Daily Schedule
Time	Activity
by 8 a.m. Mon-Fri	Main campus gates open
	Open 9am~12:30 on weekends & holidays
8:30 a.m. Mon-Fri	Basic Services & Resource Center buildings open
8:30 a.m. Mon-Fri	Signups for morning services begin at DSC
	(showers, laundry, phones, and shelter lottery/waitlist signups)*
11:15a  -12:15p	Lunch
11:45 a.m.	Resource Center building closes
12:30 p.m.	Basic Services building closes
	(Bathroom available in Resource Center until 1:15)
1:30 p.m.	Basic Services & Resource Center buildings reopen for afternoon services
1:30 p.m.	Signups for afternoon services begin at DSC
	(showers, laundry, and phones)*
4:00 p.m.	Campus closed

*DSC services rely largely on volunteers, so times & services may change if necessary.*

The Resource Center. This building is directly across the street. They have counselors (case managers) there who can connect you to community resources. They can also help with bus passes for verified Work/medical appointments. Every 3rd Friday, the Department of Social Services is here to sign you up for foodstamps (SNAP) and Medicaid. Amara Wellness is here every Wednesday morning to help with Mental Health counseling. 

They also do Coordinated Entry (in case you can't make it out to the County center) in this building with three appointments in the morning and two is the afternoon. The morning sign-ups start at 8:30a so get here and line-up in the back of this building before 8a because those 3 available morning slots go fast!! The two slots in the afternoon open up at 1:30p so get in line (at the front of this building) before 1pm!!

If you are already enrolled in Coordinated Entry, they will assist you with a bus pass for these events. The start of a permanent job and for critical medical appointments. A member of their staff will verify these prior to giving you a pass.

 Another way they can help is something called "Diversion". If you're homeless and have a verifiable relative who can take you in, one of the counselors can arrange to put you on a bus with a one-way ticket to that person.

Lastly, you can get a free bus ride from here to one of their shelters on North Tryon or Statesville Avenue.

 

Block Love Charlotte

Block Love Charlotte opened their facility on North Graham for day-time services for the homeless on 4/20/24. Their new facility

is located at 2738 N. Graham St. They serve lunch there every weekday and still provide Sunday lunches at "The Wall" at 100 Montford Point Dr. They offer later hours (10a ~ 8p) during the week and special event times on the weekends. 

They have case managers that can help you with documents and life-changing plans. They have computers you can use to check your email and do job searches. They have a limited clothes pantry to help homeless people. Between the computers, the chairs and tables and welcoming staff; it's a great place to make new plans and further your journey toward exiting homelessness.

It's not necessary to have a "Shelter Card" to visit them.  However, they can set you up on Mecklenburg County's C.E. system if you wish. 

You can pay them a visit by taking the #22 bus from downtown and getting off at the Graham & Norris bus stop.

Starting the week of 5/1, Novant Health's mobile unit will be there every Thursday afternoon.

You can get there on the #22 bus that runs every 30 minutes up and down Graham Street.  Just get off at the Norris & Graham stop.

980-288-4895

Crisis Assistance Ministry

 Crisis Assistance Ministry is designed to prevent homelessness before it happens. If you're about to be evicted, they can provide

almost immediate short-term financial assistance to keep you in your apartment. While they are providing that assistance, they also provide you with a case manager to help you create a plan to get you back on your feet.

Start by going to their office at 500-A Spratt Street. It's open from 10a ~ 4p Monday to Friday. Since they are providing real money, you'll need to bring a number of documents with you. 

Here's a list:

• Picture ID of the person applying for financial assistance.
• Social Security documentation for all household members: Social Security (SS) card, documentation from the SS Administration, W2 form from an employer, paystub with a complete SS number, or W7 if applicable. If you are not registered with the SS Administration, you must provide some form of ID.
• Proof of household income over the past 30 days for all residents including earned and unearned income. Include all paystubs received by any household members during this period. If anyone receives unemployment, SSI, SSA, VA benefits, retirement pension, child support, disability payments, or income from any other source, you must provide verification of that income.
• Past due utility bills or disconnection notices in the name of an adult who resides at that address, if applying for utility assistance.
• Notice of an upcoming court date, court papers from a court date that has passed, or late notice from your landlord, if applying for rental assistance.
• Rental lease to verify your residence if you are seeking rent assistance.

Please print or copy documents that show complete name, mailing address, dates, and amounts. We cannot guarantee the return of original documents. Any missing items will require follow-up before your request can be considered.

Their phone # is 704-371-3001

How the process works once you come to their office...

Homeless Services Network

 Charlotte's Homeless Services Network is a group of resources who's target audience are the homeless population of Charlotte. Members of this association join to learn from each other and use that knowledge to improve the way they help the homeless.

Many of the resources on this site are members. 

Freedom Fighter Missionaries

 Freedom Fighter Missionaries fights / advocates for the formerly incarcerated. They have services and counseling to help find ID's, jobs, housing, job readiness courses and financial literacy training.

As of this writing, they have a waiting list for clients, but don't give up. Keep contacting them until a spot opens up for you.

Their number is 980-800-4845

Heal Charlotte Community Housing

 Heal Charlotte - Housing Stability Program

They have just opened up a new transitional housing program at the old Baymont Motel at 5415 Equipment Dr.

 You must be employed to enter the program and families are given preference over individuals. Based on circumstances, there are some rooms reserved for those who can't pay any rent at all. They are for a maximum of 90 days. There are 60 rooms where the rent is just $750/month and there's a 6 month maximum stay.  The program opened at the end of April and there's already a waiting list. 

You can click here to fill out a form for an opportunity to be accepted into this program.

Samaritan House

 The Samaritan House of Charlotte is a 12 bed facility designed

to provide recuperation from hospital stays for Charlotte's homeless population. Entry into the facility requires a referral from a hospital worker. The patient should be transported directly from the hospital to Samaritan House

They do not accept discharges from: Behavioral Health, jail, or detox facilities.

They do background checks and will not accept any patients with:

• Registered Sex Offence
• Assault on Females (multiple counts)
• Assault with Deadly Weapon
• Robbery (with a deadly weapon)
• Assault on law enforcement and/or medical personnel
• Child / Elderly Abuse
• Kidnapping / Hostage related
• Murder and/or Attempted Murder
• Active/outstanding warrants

Intake for new guests is Monday thru Friday 9:00am – 4:00pm for Samaritan House transport.   Hospital case-workers can call 704-333-0110. This is the website for Samaritan House.

The On Ramp for 18 ~ 24 year-olds

On Ramp... is a program that specializes in needy and homeless 16-to-24-year-olds. At this time, it is not a full-blown housing program.  They occasionally help clients who have been in their program for an extended amount of time and are connected to a case manager, with some housing. And it is certainly not an emergency housing program. They are open Monday to Friday from 9a to 5p to assist young adults get back on their feet. They have food, job, driving and GED training resources for their target clients. More importantly, if you fit in this category, they have case managers who specialize in helping young adults.  Here's a link to their web page.

There is no special application needed. Just show up and an intake specialist will enter your information in their database and give you more information about what they offer. Their address is 2219 Freedom Drive. Here's a link to Google Maps for their location. They are conveniently located on Cats bus # 34 which will let you out just across Freedom from their building.

Here is their description of what they offer:

Young adults, ages 16-24, can access GED tutoring, on-site mental health counseling, life skills workshops, and tailored case management as well as assistance finding employment and housing. The goal is for all participants to achieve independence and self-sufficiency.

 

All are welcome and here is an overview of services available at On Ramp:

Food

Showers

Clothes

Laundry

GED Tutoring

Employment Readiness

Case Management

Life Skills Workshops

Mentoring

Mental-Health Counseling

Housing Services

Coordinated Entry

 Coordinated Entry.. Unlike the other posts on this site, C.E. is not a "place" but a system. Here's why it's important for you know about it.  If you haven't already noticed, there are a lot of people in Charlotte who are homeless. And there are a lot of organizations who want to help you. So C.E. is a county-wide system to put you on a database to get into one of the many organizations set up to help you. They are all at capacity and have a waiting list to get in. C.E. helps those organizations see your needs and speeds up your entry into their care. You already know that once you become homeless, your life is full of chaos. C.E. is everybody's best effort to minimize that chaos. All these organizations use C.E. and can enter you into it:

• Salvation Army Center of Hope Shelter for Women and Children

(They basically insist on getting a referral from C.E. before admitting you!)

• Men’s Shelter of Charlotte - Roof Above
• Urban Ministry Center - Roof Above 
• Davidson Housing Coalition 
• Mecklenburg County, Veterans Services Office

Here's how it works. If you are homeless or about to be homeless, if at all possible, go out to one of these two county centers below in person. They are open 8a ~ 5p Monday to Friday. You can talk to someone in person there; face-to-face. Or.. you can call 704-284-9665 and a staff member will call you back within a day or two. Of course, you'd need a phone where they can call you back at any time.

The Valerie Woodard Center is at 3205 Freedom Dr. You can take CATS bus #8 from downtown. It runs every 30 minutes.  Here is a map of the location and route. The Woodard Center is huge and can be overwhelming. When you get there, go into Building A. It's the only one that faces Freedom Drive. 

Another location is the Ella Scarborough Center. You can take CATS bus #11 from downtown. It runs every 30 minutes. It's located near the corner of Eastway Drive and North Tryon Street.  There is only one building there.  Here is a map of the location and route. You'll know you're in the right place because you'll see artwork outside the building that's similar to the ones in the picture above.

The best reason to go to either of these centers is that they have many different services to help you and they are all in one place. For example they have services addressing healthcare, jobs, child support and food.

When you get to either of these locations, you will have to take a number and have a short wait to be called to a reception desk. When you get to a receptionist, tell them you are homeless and they will put you with a county "navigator" who  will enter your information in the Coordinated Entry database. After you're entered, they will make a "Clarity" ID card for you.

It'll come in handy at a variety of shelters in Charlotte. And they will help figure out your housing need and make the right connection for you. 

So why go to all this trouble? Once you get entered into C.E. you are definitely in the county's database.  This is so much better than just showing up at a shelter and hoping for the best.  If you need to go to a shelter, they will see that you're already in the database. That will speed up your processing there. Your information in C.E. is very, very confidential. It's not used by DSS, CMPD or ICE! So don't hesitate to get your name on that list!! To be considered homeless, you have to meet one of these conditions:

·  Living in a place not meant for human habitation, or

·  Living in emergency shelter (including domestic violence shelter), or

·  Living in transitional housing, or

·  Exiting an institution where they temporarily resided for up to 90 days (and were in a shelter or a place not meant for human habitation immediately prior to entering that institution), or

·  Likely to meet one of the above definitions within the next 72 hours.

One last thing; if you're a homeless veteran be sure to mention your service. There are some additional resources at VA South Charlotte for vets. 

VA Clinic

 VA Clinic - Charlotte

Many homeless vets miss out on the many services provided by the local VA Clinic. You will find this facility at 3506 Tyvola Blvd. They are open Monday to Friday 9a to 3p. (except on Federal holidays) But you might also want to know that they virtually visit Roof Above's Day Services Resource center every other Thursday from 9a ~ 11a.

Homeless vets are helped with: 
• Emergency Shelter
• Transitional and permanent housing
• VA Healthcare
• Mental healthcare
• Substance Abuse programs
• VA Benefits
• Replacement DD214's
• Case Mgmt Services
• Employment Services

They also have a department there for Healthcare for Homeless Vets (HCHV).  You can call them there at 704-329-1300 x32109. HCHV Residential programs provide the following services:
• Assistance with VA/SSA disability
• Vocational / Employment skills
• Sobriety maintenance
• Money management
• Life skills training
• Health care
• Education
• Nutritional needs
• Assistance with independent housing

They have a National Call Center for Homeless Vets that you can call 24/7.  It's 877-424-3838.

Mobile Showers

Project Outpour There is an organization called Project Outpour in Charlotte that has a free mobile shower service.  Of  course you can also get a shower at Roof Above's Daytime Service Center, downtown but these locations are scattered outside of downtown and might be more convenient. Several of the shower locations are near a library which you can use to check your email.

Here is what is not obvious. If you're interested, they can talk to you about shelter and food options around town. All you have to do is ask. And you don't have to have a shelter card (C.E. card) from the county. All you have to do is walk up to get their kind help. They even have a WiFi hotspot on their trailer so you can check your mail when you're there.

Here is the schedule from their website: