HHH Makes Voice Heard Uptown

http://charlotte.com/217/story/73522.html

HHH had a successful march uptown on Tuesday, April 3rd. We were welcomed with horn blows, puzzled looks, and curious questions. The march culminated at the county commission meeting, where members Claudia Moses and Richard Lincoln gave impassioned pleas. Afterwards, we celebrated with free pizza from Fuel Pizza (thank you, Lesley!) and processed our action. We give special thanks to the "housed" individuals who joined us, bringing with them bottled water, their families, and a commitment to ending homelessness.

See Richard Lincoln's speech below:

My name is Richard Lincoln and I am here today to ask for your support in ending Charlotte’s and Mecklenburg County’s epidemic homeless population.

I arrived in Charlotte on February 9th. As of that date, I became homeless and as of last night, I am no longer homeless, because a former homeless citizen who I met through the Rooms in the Inn offered me a place to stay. But I am one of the lucky ones who has worked very hard at getting into a safe and secure housing environment.

There are over a thousand of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County citizens that are still suffering and at the mercy of not only the elements but crimes of all kinds.

I had been a resident of Room in the Inn, which closed on Saturday night. On Sunday night, my last night before getting my safe shelter, I spent my night in uptown under a bus stop shelter. It was raining most of the night. I felt depressed and scared. I didn’t know if I was going to be run-off by the police, if I would be out in the rain, if I would be harassed due to other people’s poor behavior. Comparing my night outside with Room in the Inn, the situation was demeaning, dehumanizing and scary. Shelters are not the answer. Permanent Supportive Housing is, but shelter is an important part of the safety net.

So we are here tonight to ask, no we are here to plead with you, our elected officials, to be a champion in ending homelessness. To end homelessness, we will need affordable and supportive housing programs and services to assist in the transition from a homeless citizen to a productive citizen. The homeless community in the Charlotte, Mecklenburg County area will help support your efforts. Soon, the commission will be presented with the 10 year plan to end homelessness. We ask not only that you accept the plan, but that you are serious in implanting the plan.

I and our supporters will return, to show you the faces of those you are assisting in the essential fight for everyone to have a safe home.

Thank you and I look forward to together helping eliminate the word homelessness in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County and becoming a model community for the rest of the nation.