Stories

Written by Amy Andrews

A huge hurdle for families embarking on their new lives in Charlotte is simply not knowing how to navigate the ins and outs of daily life. Buying groceries, enrolling children in school or figuring out how to read bills are all monumental tasks. Refugee Support Services was born out of the need to directly help families facing these and other challenges, providing them with support and connection to promote self-sufficiency and ultimately enrich the Charlotte community.

Numbers are powerful.

27: That's the number of people who traveled together to Uganda ten years ago to serve communities displaced by war. 

658: That's the number of bricks the group made in one day for one of their construction projects. It was a record for the most bricks made in one day. It was also a number that stuck with those 27 people as they returned to the U.S., where they pledged to continue serving communities in need. 

Just over a month ago, the city of Charlotte united for a celebration of the arts called Charlotte SHOUT!– a festival showcasing the power art has to bring people together. Art provides a method of communication through which people of all cultures and backgrounds can express themselves. At OurBridge for Kids, they take this phenomenon and use it to nurture the children of the refugee and immigrant community in our city.

“I blame Walt Disney.  It’s all his fault,” Steve Parker, the founder of FOCHUS says when asked how it all began.

105 words rest beneath the Statue of Liberty.

They were written 136 years ago.

Time has taken its toll on the brass inscription.

The words, once crisp, have faded.

And maybe, their meaning has too.

Every two seconds, someone around the world is displaced from their home. Driven away from everything they know by violence, war, or relentless prosecution.

Did you know there are an estimated 1,076,837 people who call Mecklenburg County “home”?  With native Charlotteans being referred to as “Unicorns” because they are so hard to find, it's no surprise that the majority of people who live in our vibrant city migrated here from elsewhere. Many of those people being immigrants and refugees who are resettling here for a new life and bringing their own culture and traditions to our ever-growing city.

Written by Amy Andrews

Charlotte Family Housing challenges just about every preconceived notion you might have about a shelter.

They are the only nonprofit in the Charlotte area that keeps the whole family together – children, mothers and fathers – in fresh, bright, dignified spaces with an empowerment model that is central to their existence.

Housing is a big factor in the area of health.

Surprised?

It makes sense if you think about it: If someone is to live a healthy life, they need a healthy environment. If they’re in a healthy environment, they’ll be able to work, go to school, and live an active life.

Lynda Watson was facing homelessness when Community Link's Homeless to Housing program helped her find a safe, comfortable apartment she could afford long-term. Now Lynda is the first person to greet people when they walk into the Community Link office.