‘We’ll make it happen': CMS counselor helps find learning space for homeless students

CHARLOTTE — There are thousands of children in Mecklenburg County who need a safe space to learn this semester -- and a CMS school counselor is working to bring some stability to those students’ lives.

“My motto is, ‘We’ll make it happen,’” said Cynthia Johnson. “There are roughly over 4,000 students that are homeless in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.”

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Now that CMS is walking back its first two weeks of in person-learning, the clock is ticking to find those students a stable place to learn before school begins.

“We’re trying to provide that safe space where those students feel comfortable and at ease with learning,” Johnson said.

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She partnered with the West Side Think Tank and a few other organizations to track down people who have space to allow children to learn. They’re looking to accommodate at least 10 students with room for social distancing, and hopefully, facilities that have kitchens to feed the students.

“Now that the pandemic is going on, it just really highlights those students. Our most vulnerable students. Our homeless students who need that extra support, who need that stable learning environment,” Johnson said.

Many kids don’t have easy access to transportation, school supplies or basic internet. CMS said they’re working to fill those gaps but Johnson is expediting the process with the few churches and sports complexes they already have lined up.

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It’s just one more step to remove the barriers remote learning may bring.

“I don’t care where you come from. I just want to make sure that you accomplish the goals that you want to accomplish,” Johnson said.

The think tank already has 10 physical locations set up across the city but the organization is still looking for more.

If you’d like to support this effort, you can reach Johnson at 704-491-0176.

CMS reverses course, will re-open with full remote learning CMS reverses course, will re-open with full remote learning

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