A local homeless medical respite center launched a crisis campaign to stay open last week.
Samaritan House, a landing place for Charlotte’s homeless population during their time of need for care and healing, declared itself to be in a state of crisis on Friday due to unexpected financial challenges.
The nonprofit is shutting down intake for 90 days and potentially indefinitely.
Why it matters: Samaritan House is Charlotte’s only homeless shelter that provides medical resources, such as social workers, to help get health insurance to those healing and in need of housing.
“A couple of things hit,” Rodney Tucker, executive director of Samaritan House, said.
Plumbing issues, Tucker said, among others, are one reason for the financial strain at Samaritan House.Â
The goal is to raise at least $200,000 by July 1 to remain operational.
The center provides a space for people without housing to heal safely after receiving medical attention. The center doesn’t provide medical care but offers resources to ensure people experiencing homelessness have access to it after hospitalization.
“Our goal is that people don’t return to the hospital for the same issues,” Tucker said.
Tucker says many times, people returning to homeless shelters after hospital visits can’t heal properly.
“Some of these folks have nowhere to go,” he said. “Imagine waking up from surgery in the hospital and then them saying you got to leave.”Â
On a normal day of operations, Samaritan House provides social workers and maintains a medication schedule for people, resources many homeless shelters cannot provide.
Samaritan House also provides three meals a day, cooked by volunteers.
Last year, the organization served 81 people and hopes to serve 125 this year.
Without Samaritan House, Tucker says Charlotte doesn’t have any other options for people without housing in need of medical recovery.
Samaritan House is looking for volunteers and donations to remain operational in the upcoming months.
To donate, visit “Save Our Home” at https://thesamaritanhouse.org/donations.
