Urban Ministry Center, Men’s Shelter of Charlotte have new name, 1 year after merger
The combined Men’s Shelter of Charlotte and Urban Ministry Center will now be known as Roof Above, the organization announced Tuesday.
Leaders of Charlotte’s largest provider of homelessness services said the new name reflects the work done by the two organizations, which merged last year.
“Roof Above tells you what we do. Whether through our shelters or our housing programs, we are committed to providing the safety, security and dignity of a roof above everyone in our community,” CEO Liz Clasen-Kelly said in a statement.
The merged organization operates two shelters, supportive housing units, and a day center that serves meals. It also has programs dealing with substance abuse and employment and runs the Room In the Inn winter shelter through local churches.
Nearly 3,700 people are homeless in Mecklenburg County, according to county data. Clasen-Kelly said the organization’s work is more important than ever, given the economic upheaval caused by COVID-19.
Among the latest projects is construction of a shelter on Statesville Avenue with nearly 200 beds. The project recently received $800,000 from the city’s Housing Trust Fund and $1 million from the Howard R. Levine Foundation. It broke ground this month.
This work was made possible in part by grant funding from Report for America/GroundTruth Project and the Foundation For The Carolinas.
This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 5:16 PM.
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