Dec. 4, 2008

Hall House � Call for Collaboration

An e-mail to the community from

Annabelle Suddreth at A Child's Place

There are 2,493 children identified as homeless in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. These children are living in shelters, pay-by-week motels, doubled-up with others and some are living in cars. This housing instability creates many challenges for these children. They:

� Typically fall 2-3 grade levels behind in school
� Are twice as likely to be sick
� Suffer anxiety and mental health challenges 3 times more than their
housed peers.

For most of the children in our community, home is the most stable part of their lives. For children who are homeless, school is typically the most stable part of their day. It is where they receive a hot breakfast and lunch, they see the same teachers and friends and their circumstances are more certain. As a community, it is our responsibility to help stabilize
these children with housing and other services necessary to help these children be successful in school and in life. Without stabilization for these children, our community will surely pay a much higher price in the future through medical, judicial and social services.

We have the opportunity to help stabilize these children.

Hall House, a Charlotte Housing Authority property, has become available to provide safe, temporary housing for 80 families of homeless children. To truly stabilize these children, this project would provide more than just housing. Families would be provided with services to help them move beyond their current situation. Through the provision of additional medical, educational, employment, afterschool and other social services, the goal is for these
children to have a stable, safe place to live and to help some of the families move from Hall House into stabilized housing at the end of the project.

In the spirit that it truly "takes a village", this project would require the collaboration of multiple government, education and social services agencies as well as the faith and business communities and the community at large. The concept would be to utilize the core competencies of existing agencies and other organizations working together for a common goal. Several entities have already expressed interest in participation this project and others are slated to be approached.

Please join us at a meeting to discuss the details of this project and how
you can be involved. There are two informational meetings (you only need to
attend one) at the Children and Family Services Center (601 E. 5th Street).

 � Thursday, Dec. 4 at 2:00 OR

 � Friday, Dec. 5 at 2:00.

If you are unable to attend, please send a representative. I would also appreciate your
forwarding this to anyone you believe may be interested in helping. Thanks in advance for your help!

On behalf of the children,

Annabelle Suddreth, Executive Director

A Child's Place | P. O. Box 33302, Charlotte, NC 28233

T: 704.343.3790 x9552     F: 704.343.3791   

E: [email protected]      www.achildsplace.org