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Thousands of CMS students facing homelessness

Most of the kids are living out of hotels without the right resources to start school again.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools families continue to struggle with the rising costs of living, and one of the biggest impacts is on students. 

CMS shared numbers that show the district has never seen so many families experiencing housing insecurity. 

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CMS ended the 2022-2023 school year with 4,815 students identified as experiencing homelessness: The highest number the district has seen over the last eight academic school years. 

“It could possibly be higher, because you have to think about individuals who don’t feel comfortable asking for help," executive director for the nonprofit the Just Do It Movement Jessica Gibson said.

The district attributes the rise to a number of different factors.

Among them are a lack of affordable housing, rent increases over the past couple of years, low wages, limited housing, landlords not accepting housing vouchers, strict rules to accept potential tenants such as no prior evictions and past criminal history, high non-refundable application fees just to apply, high domestic violence cases which causes families to have to leave their homes, and overall, the economy. 

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“The cost of housing and everything else continues to increase and far outpaces the cost of income and as we continue to see that gap, we’ll continue to see more people entering our system," director of community support services' housing innovation and stabilization services division for Mecklenburg County Karen Pelletier said. 

It's an issue hitting an all-time high, but CMS and nonprofits like the Just Do It Movement are stepping up to help. 

“Just because you’re experiencing housing insecurity, you’re still a human being, and you still matter," Gibson said.

Most of the kids the nonprofit helps are living out of hotels without the right resources to start school again, that's why the organization offers services like free haircuts.  

“They come out with a smile, with a different walk," Gibson said. 

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Just Do It Movement is offering an event for children experiencing housing insecurities and families experiencing hardships on Aug. 27 at 5108-5 Reagan Drive, Charlotte, NC, 28206. It will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Families can sign up by visiting this link or texting 980-238-4980. 

They will provide haircuts, hair styles, sneakers and food. 

Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

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