April 2, 2024

Greg Jackson came to Charlotte for a “new identity.” The identity, he says, found him.

A viral video showing him during a Keith Lamont Scott street protest made him realize it was time to regroup and work to make a difference for the Charlotte children growing up in neighborhoods dominated by drugs and gun crime.

Heal Charlotte was born. A city grant and assistance from friends helped create a beachhead for his dream. A piece of a motel off I-85 allows him to host dozens of previously homeless families. Support efforts under one roof help the families with the wraparound services, love, attention and training that will allow each family to relocate into permanent housing and better prospects.

The dream – what he calls a revolution that “will be led by babies’ – involves multiple locations to serve the hundreds of families awaiting help, and a Black Wall Street to prepare young people for economic self-sufficiency.

But in the video below, Jackson argues that programs alone often don’t solve problems, but often trap families within the unresolved issues that leave low-wealth communities underserved.

Jackson’s plea is for help – donations, donor time, board members, collaboration partners, experts in solving the interlocking problems that leave children at risk.

An April 29 QCityMetro report on Heal Charlotte is here.