Affordable housing crisis: How you can help

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — If you’re interested in donating money or volunteering to help people impacted by the area’s affordable housing crisis, here is a list of ways you can contribute and links to organizations that would appreciate your support.

LANDLORDS: 

If you have property for rent, please contact housing consortium Housing CLT by clicking

here.

OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE:

Donations to

Community Link

ranging from $30 to $1,200 can make a difference:

• $1,200 moves a homeless student and his/her family into housing near school or work
• $500 covers financial counseling to prevent eviction or foreclosure
• $500 pays for the application fee and security deposit for one household
• $250 relocates a victim to safety who is fleeing domestic violence
• $150 fills a welcome basket with move-in cleaning and household supplies
• $100 keeps the lights on and pays the past due utility bill for a household
• $50 buys bus passes or gas cards to help transport a veteran to his job
• $30 allows us to look up a Tri-bureau credit report and background check so that a client can qualify for housing
• Go to Smile.Amazon.com and select Community Link Programs of Travelers Aid Society, Inc. as your charity of choice.

Donations to

Charlotte Family Housing

ranging from $25 to $500+ can make a difference:

• $500: Provides one month of rental assistance for a family
• $250: Provides four sessions with a clinical social worker
• $100: Provides a month of extracurricular activities for a family through the Youth Connect Fund
• $50: Provides new bedding and linens for a family moving into shelter
• $25: Provides a week of bus passes for a family

Donations to

A Way Home

endowment at Foundation for The Carolinas

• $10,000 can move one family from homelessness to stability

Donations to

Crisis Assistance Ministry

:

• $400 will help a family in financial crisis either stay in their home or keep heat/lights on
• Donate the value of a car
• Donate essential items of clothing, household goods, furniture and appliances to the Free Store

Donations to Project Outpour help homeless people access clean mobile showers:

• A gift of $10 provides towels and washcloths for 12 guests
• A gift of $25 fills our generator with fuel for 80 showers
• A gift of $50 provides laundry services for 10 guests
• A gift of $100 provides essential items and supplies for 80 guests
• A gift of $250 provides hot water for 140 showers
• A gift of $500 pays for security to ensure guests' safety, for one month

OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER:

Community Link:

• Financial and real estate volunteer for Community Link's Asset Building workshops for prospective and first-time homebuyers
• Provide financial counseling/coaching for financial empowerment classes
• Tax preparers can provide free tax preparation for low- and moderate-income households. Training is available to volunteers
• Community Link hosts realtor and lender lunch and learns. Each session, two or three volunteers present best practices and current trends while hosting lunch for industry colleagues and peers

Queens University Stan Greenspon Center for Peace and Social Justice:

• Learn how to start a discussion at your house of faith
• Volunteer time to advocate for affordable housing

Crisis Assistance Ministry: 

• Coordinate a drive to collect clothing, furniture, or household goods for distribution free-of-charge through our free store or furniture bank
• Volunteer to purchase and distribute a meal to clients
• Help sort and inspect donations to community's free store
• Load, transport, and unload furniture and household goods for families leaving homelessness
• Purchase and assemble 10 to 15 dressers for families in need
• Reassemble packets used for poverty simulations

Men’s Shelter of Charlotte:

• Volunteer in the Tryon Shelter's Housing and Resources Room to assist guests searching for employment, housing, and community resources
• Serve as a check-in ambassador and greet guests at the shelter's front desk
• Join the F3 Fitness Group for peer-led free workouts for shelter guests

Cox Media Group