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In addition to our basic services, The Urban Ministry Center also offers innovative special programs to address the challenges of homelessness and poverty. These engage everyone in the community, building on individual and shared strengths and breaking down barriers. They provide many opportunities for volunteer service. Contact our volunteer coordinators to find out how you can get involved.
Room In The Inn
Since 1996, the Urban Ministry Center has been working with congregations of many faiths, as well as with colleges, to open their facilities one night a week to provide shelter and food for the homeless during the winter months.
Each site offers a warm, safe place to sleep and serves two meals (dinner and breakfast) and returns guests to the Urban Ministry Center the following morning. The Room in the Inn program began with 20 shelter sites. During the 2006-2007 year, it had grown to almost 100 congregations and colleges providing 14,750 beds for 1,247 neighbors, involving well over 5,000 volunteers.
Contact us to find out how you can get involved with Room In The Inn.
CommunityWorks945
CommunityWorks 945 began in 2001 as ArtWorks 945, a beautification and mural project. Those early efforts have now grown to include four programs:
These innovative programs engage our homeless neighbors in athletic, artistic and horticulture therapies to rekindle motivation and develop life skills needed for transitioning to a next step in life. In the art program alone, over 300 participants have been involved in painting, ceramics, photography and writing classes inspiring many to re-attain self sufficiency. Sales from the art shows have grossed almost $50,000 to date. The Street Soccer 945 team has represented the United States at the Homeless World Cup for the past three years, and 75% of team members have moved off the streets. Our organic vegetable garden has added fresh nutritious food to the soup kitchen, with harvests bountiful enough to also sell at local farmers' markets. And Homeless Helping Homeless has been a leader in Charlotte's community efforts to end homelessness.To learn more about our programs and how you can become part of them, please visit www.communityworks945.org.
CommunityWorks 945 depends on the talents of the homeless community, the support of churches and individuals, as well as the time and vision of local artists, Eagle Scouts, and volunteers.
Advocacy
Homeless Helping Homeless (HHH) offers the homeless an opportunity to help themselves. Since 2001,members of the homeless community have, through HHH, advocated and organized politically for themselves. Facilitated by the Urban Ministry Center as part of the CommunityWorks 945 project, HHH demonstrates civic concern, honesty, and genuine commitment by and on behalf of the homeless in Charlotte,NC.
Contact us to find out more information.
Community Education
The Center provides resources to help educate congregations and individuals about the facts, causes, and experience of poverty; the connection between spiritual life and service; and ways to get involved that make a difference. The Servant Leadership School regularly offers a wide variety of short- and longer-term courses exploring such topics as the significance of social class in communication and community organizing (ClassMatters); an introduction to servant leadership; and the nature of authentic community. In addition, staff members are available to speak, preach, or teach in local congregations.
Contact us to find out more information.
The SABER Program
SABER (Substance Abuse Education & Recovery) is a free-of charge, ongoing, nine-month treatment program consisting of three months of intensive outpatient treatment and six months of aftercare. SABER provides drug testing, day treatment, job training, and transportation to adult men who are homeless with substance dependence problems.
SABER's design is largely based on research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and incorporates innovative behavioral treatment and contingency management. At full capacity, SABER offers treatment to 24 adult men.
Contact us to find out more information.
Homeless To Homes
Homeless to Homes, our newest program, will play an active role in Charlotte's community-wide ten year plan to end homelessness, moving beyond talking about problems to taking meaningful steps toward creating accessible housing with support services. To learn more about this pioneering effort, contact Kathy Izard, Program Director.
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