CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County data shows more than 3,000 people don’t have a home right now and 37% of those people have young children.
There are services in the county to help, but the waitlist for affordable housing is in the tens of thousands. One resource available is the nonprofit Heal Charlotte.
The group has turned a Sugar Creek hotel into a place of refuge for families who have fallen on hard times. A single mother staying there sat down with WCNC Charlotte to share her story of faith and bravery despite several obstacles.
"I'm a part of a family here," shared Samantha Leacock. "People know my name when I walk through the door."
Last year, Leacock had to leave everything behind and start her life over with her children.
"We make sacrifices to try to take care of our families," Leacock said.
She had nothing to her name, except for two young daughters and a teenage son. She said they were displaced after leaving a toxic marriage that escalated to domestic violence.
Leacock and her children ended up in a shelter while trying to figure out where to go.
"I didn't have my own transportation. I wasn't working," Leacock said. "So, it was really stressful to be like, 'Okay, I gotta get all these things together in this short time frame or I'm not gonna have a place to go.'"
The biggest hurdle for Leacock was finding a safe and clean rental that she could afford. She signed up on waitlists for housing opportunities but has had no luck.
"I'm waiting for the help to open because there are so many people that need help," Leacock said.
In the meantime, she's grateful she found Heal Charlotte’s transitional housing program.
"I'm not a number here," Leacock said with a smile.
Founder Greg Jackson said the hotel is more than a place to stay. "We want to be that safe haven for families," said Jackson. The program offers services to help struggling families find better jobs and permanent housing.
Leacock said her biggest lesson throughout her journey, is that it's okay to ask for help.
"If we speak up more about really what's going on with us, we'll find that community of people to help us," Leacock said.
She is trying to save money while staying with Heal Charlotte so she can get into a home-buying program. Her dream is to build generational wealth for her children.
WCNC Charlotte will follow Leacock's story as she navigates looking for affordable housing in Charlotte and the obstacles that come with the search.
If someone is a victim of domestic violence and needs help, they can reach out to the Safe Alliance of Greater Charlotte.