More About Us
Our History
HFTIC was founded in the summer of 2020 during the onset of the Covid-19 global pandemic. Our founder Jessica Lefkowitz began serving the growing homeless encampment located in the Northend of Charlotte after being laid off from her position as bartender at the Westin Charlotte in March. She went into the camps daily with meals and survival supplies. After spending months with the neighbors in the encampments she knew that there was much more work to do to provide support. As the encampment grew more grass roots organizations began giving support to the residents. Jessica encouraged grassroots organizations to band together to make a more powerful and productive impact for the residents we were all trying to support.
The impact of our work in the last two years has been tremendous and we have been tireless and dedicated in every aspect of what we offer. Prior to the Health Department eviction of the North End tent encampment, our organization supported over 200 persons living there by supplying food, assisting with job placements, resume building, transportation (for doctors’ appointments, job interviews and service connection, mental health and substance use treatment, shelter placement), and even successfully reunified some with their families
In February 2021, Mecklenburg County Public Health Department issued an Abatement of Imminent Hazard Order to all residents in the North End tent encampment. The residents had only 72 hours to pack two bags and prepare to move into temporary County Shelter Motels. Our organization was asked to assist with outreach because of our rapport and long-time trust with the residents. We assisted with signing up 210 people to enter into the North End Encampment County Motel program. We performed literal triage for the trauma-stricken residents. Despite them being previously unsheltered, they had formed deep attachments with their encampment neighbors and were used to surviving in a particular way. Coalition organizations committed to provide a makeshift food pantry, accommodate special dietary needs, held community events for residents, assisted with job placements, provided haircuts, assisted with retrieving identification, and transportation to job interviews and doctor appointments. One of the most important parts of our work during this time was participating and advocating in case conferences and management meetings that navigated housing resources for the motel residents. In 2022, we also contracted Mecklenburg County to provide severe weather street outreach. During our contract we were able to navigate people into the winter shelter and in some cases provided transportation to safe havens during the three major harsh winter storms and offer cool weather supplies in extreme heat. We unified a client to his family in Greensboro, NC and were able to successfully match people to housing. In addition to traditional outreach, we also participated in several community events. These events provide food, haircuts, clothing, toys, and fellowship to our most vulnerable in our community.
Advocacy
In December 2021, HFTIC lead a protest advocating for an extension of the national eviction moratorium in the midst of the pandemic and sent an open letter to Governor Roy Cooper. Additionally, we publicly petitioned the Mayor of Charlotte and City Council to demand emergency shelter for unsheltered individuals and families living in the Uptown tent encampment, garnering over 15,000 signatures.
HFTIC continually advocates for housing opportunities and expanded resources to combat the rise in racial inequity of BIPOC by aggressively partnering with organizations with the mission of ending homelessness and acknowledging that race is a factor that leads to homelessness. We believe addressing racial inequity is key to ending homelessness.