CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With rent prices on the rise, inflation driving up the cost of other essentials, plus the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the homeless community in Charlotte has faced unprecedented challenges in the effort to find housing.
A nonprofit formed just before the pandemic has been putting a dent in those numbers, so much so that it's double the size of the organization as leaders seek solutions to Charlotte's housing crisis.
Furnish For Good, a nonprofit formed by a group of Charlotte moms in December 2019, provides donated furniture to people who were formerly homeless. Community donations help give those who were homeless a fresh start.
"Getting furniture for a home is expensive and I always say Furnish For Good made my house a home," Monique Smith said.
When the group started, they partnered with just one social services agency to find clients. Now, Furnish For Good works with 30 Mecklenburg County agencies. The need is so great that they're moving into a new location with double the space of their previous spot.
Social workers are grateful for the generosity and the impact it has on people looking for any assistance they can find.
"Since the pandemic, the need has been way more than in the past," Chynaya Maley, a housing specialist with the Salvation Army, said. "A lot of them, when they transition into housing, they don't have furniture, they're going in with the clothes on their back."
WCNC Charlotte first met Monique Smith just weeks before the pandemic struck in 2020. She and her two children were moving from a hotel into their own apartment. Back then, Smith said it was the "end of a journey and beginning of a new one."
At the time, Smith told her kids they'd all be sleeping on the floor for a while. Then she met the women behind Furnish For Good, who helped the family acquire essentials for their new home.
"It offers dignity, empowerment, self-respect, and most importantly, having a choice," Priscilla Chapman, one of the group's founders said of their motivation.
Since that time, Smith lost her job during COVID-19. Just last year, her home was lost in an apartment complex fire.
"As soon as Furnish For Good found out what happened, they helped me again and I appreciate it so much," she said.
That help is appreciated more than most people realize.
"When someone helps you it really motivates you to make them feel it was worth it," Smith explained. "I'm so much more focused and driven. My credit score has even improved, I'm over 700 right now."
But things still aren't easy. The single mother works two jobs and admits paying the rent is a struggle.
"It's skyrocketed," Smith said. "It's been challenging but it makes me proud of myself. I didn't think that I could do it. In Charlotte, rent has increased so much and it's not easy but to have a home is worth it to put the sacrifice in."
The new Furnish For Good location also has a drive-thru where people can easily donate goods. Click here to learn more information about Furnish For Good's mission.
Contact Michelle at mboudin@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.