In Charlotte, a coalition of local organizations and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management Office are coming together to provide emergency shelter and assistance due to severe winter weather hitting the region. Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte are working in tandem with groups like Roof Above, the Salvation Army Center of Hope, and the Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition to offer expanded capacity in homeless shelters ahead of the expected cold snap, according to an official statement.
In anticipation of the frigid conditions, emergency weather protocols are being activated today at 4 p.m. and will extend through next Monday morning, as conveyed by the aforementioned statement. Street teams from the Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition are being deployed to encourage those in homeless encampments to seek shelter, offering winter weather supplies to those who chose to remain unsheltered.
For men seeking refuge, Roof Above is providing shelter and has increased its capacity at 3410 Statesville Avenue starting at 4 p.m. on Friday. Women and families can find shelter at the Salvation Army at 534 Spratt Street, with doors also opening at 4 p.m. Additionally, Roof Above’s Day Services Center, located at 945 North College Street, will be operational from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during these extreme weather conditions.
The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is offering free rides to any of these shelter locations when riders identify the specific shelter to the driver. This transportation service is available throughout the duration of this extreme weather event, ensuring that all neighbors have access to shelter.
