Community Resources
Mental Health: 1-800-442-9673 | Depression: 1-630-482-9696 | Lifeline: 1-800-784-8433
Good Friends Charlotte is committed to our community. Below is a list of direct links to information and articles regarding utilities, education, housing, and more. We continue to monitor new resources and will update this list as new information becomes available.
This online directory is helpful in finding resources available based on your location, including shelter, healthcare, and more.
MeckNC.gov Community Resource Guides
Mecklenburg County provides this online community resource guide and includes direct links to resources, as well as information regarding resources for health care, childcare, food security, active living, trauma and justice partnerships, pregnancy services, and more.
NC Med Assist:
Are you a NC resident in need of over the counter medicine and medical supplies. Visit the website for NC Med Assist. It’s as simple as completing and application and filling out a requested list to pick up. There is also the option for in store shopping during designated hours.
Link: https://medassist.org/otc-free-store/
Diaper Banks in NC:
Asheville- Babies Need Bottoms, Inc.
Durham – Diaper Bank of NC, Triangle
Wilmington – Diaper Bank of NC, Lower Cape Fear
Winston-Salem – Diaper Bank of NC, Greater Triad
Hotel / Mortgage/ Deposit Assistance - Applications open April 1-April 15th:
https://epass.nc.gov/ - electric/gas/water bill assistance
https://www.charlotteareafund.org/ - utility assistance and budgeting help
https://www.communitylinknc.org/ - mortgage assistance
https://nchaf-registration.nchaf.gov/ - NC Homeowner Assistance Fund
COVID rent and mortgage relief: https://rampclt.com/
Union County Rental Assistance Program
Cabarrus County Rental Assistance Program
City of Charlotte Dispute Settlement Program
For the COVID-19 vaccine, you can start by re-registering with Atrium Health and Novant Health systems, for example. To look for appointments outside of hospital and county-run clinics, people can successfully set up appointments at locations such as CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Publix, and Harris Teeter.
Vaccine eligibility continues to widen in North Carolina, with Groups 1, 2, 3, and some in Group 4 qualifying for shots this month. In South Carolina, eligibility recently opened for anyone 55 and older, those with preexisting conditions who are at least 16 years old, and people working front-line essential jobs like teachers and police officers.
For more information, visit: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article249957594.html
FEMA Assistance
Apply for FEMA assistance for up to $9,000 in burial abs funeral expenses for COVID related deaths: Keep an eye on FEMA's website for additional details about applying for funeral assistance. Read more here.
Additionally, Catholic Charities assists families with limited resources in making arrangements and final plans for a family member. To apply, please call 704-370-3262 and ask to speak with a social worker for Mecklenburg County or 828-255-0146 for Asheville area.
Goodwill Training
Good Friends partners with Goodwill on a daily basis. For those that may be interested register here for fulfilling and free trainings at Goodwill in Charlotte or Gastonia:
NY Times: 10 Steps to Take to Try to Prevent Your Own Eviction
Aspen Institute: 20 Million Renters Are at Risk of Eviction; Policymakers Must Act
WSOC: Reprieve for Renters Ending As Meck County Starts Eviction Trials Next Week
WSOC: Advocacy Organization Addresses Financial Woes as Eviction Courts Set to Open
UNC Charlotte Urban Institute: The Racial Wealth Gap in Charlotte-Mecklenburg
WBTV: With Federal Benefits Expiring, North Carolinians Unemployment Benefits Will Be Slashed
Families USA: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Resulting Economic Crash Have Caused the Greatest Health Insurance Losses
Spotlight on Poverty & Opportunity: Amid COVID-19, Summer Meals Efforts Innovate in the Face of Uncertainty
Center on Budget & Policy: Boosting SNAP: Needed to Reduce Hardship, Long-Term Effects on Children
For the latest on COVID-19 in North Carolina, visit NCDHHS’s response page.
Atrium Health Offering a Mobile Coronavirus Testing Center: Atrium Health Mobile Coronavirus Testing
Eviction: Know Your Rights
Being served with a summons to eviction court is panic inducing. If you or someone you know receives court papers like the one below, the best advice is to stay calm, learn the process, and know your rights.
Eviction.
It’s an ugly word that connotes anxiety, despair, and homelessness.
And, unfortunately, it’s a word that will soon feature in the mealtime discussions of many families in our community.
Eviction proceedings in Mecklenburg County are set to begin again on July 20, having been suspended since mid-March. There is already a backlog of about 1,400 cases, and new filings are expected to steadily rise.
Among the thousands of families who will soon face potential homelessness are our most vulnerable neighbors, many of whom were served at Crisis Assistance Ministry long before anyone had heard of COVID-19. But joining them are people who felt financially secure just a few months ago. Due to the pandemic’s sweeping economic devastation, many are suddenly experiencing the reality of not being able to pay rent.
Being served with a summons to eviction court is panic inducing. If you or someone you know receives court papers like the one below, the best advice is to stay calm, learn the process, and know your rights.
Keep in mind, landlords generally do not want to evict their tenants. Reaching a compromise is the best way to keep tenants housed and landlords in business. Everyone who is served a court summons for eviction is encouraged to pursue mediation. Contact the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Dispute Settlement Program or call their Landlord Tenant Line at 704-336-5330.
The Eviction Process: Six Key Points
Landlords must follow a formal, legal process for eviction.
• The only legal way for a landlord to evict you is by filing a lawsuit and getting an eviction judgment against you.• It is illegal for a landlord to change the locks without a court order, disconnect utilities, or use other means to force you out.
• Only the sheriff can legally remove you from your home.
The eviction lawsuit has two main parts:• The summons, which is a notice of the date, place, courtroom, and time of the hearing.
• The complaint, which outlines the landlord’s case against you. (Section 3 in image above)
You are not required to go to court and will not be arrested for not appearing.• However, the magistrate will then rule based only on the landlord’s evidence, and it’s likely an eviction judgment will be entered against you.
If you want to dispute any of the landlord’s claims, you must go to court.• Arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled hearing.
• Bring 3 copies of any relevant documentation (receipts, requests for repairs, lease, etc.).
• Print out any electronic evidence such as texts, emails, and photos. The magistrate will not look at your phone.
You have the right to appeal, even if you didn’t attend the hearing.• An appeal must be filed within 10 calendar days after the date of the judgment.
• If you appeal, you will get a new trial in front of a new judge. Forms are available at the SelfServe Center in room 3350 at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.
• If you pay a rent bond to the court, you can stay in your home while you wait on your appeal trial.
If you don’t appeal, you may stay in your home for 10 calendar days after the court date.• If you are unable to reach a payment agreement during that time, your landlord will file for the Writ of Possession.
• You will receive notification of the date of eviction.
• If you have not moved out before then, the sheriff will arrive on that day to padlock the home.
• Your landlord must provide you the opportunity to retrieve your possessions from the home.
• If you don’t remove your possessions within 7 days of when the sheriff removes you from the home, the landlord can dispose of your property.
For more information and legal consultation, contact Legal Aid of North Carolina online or by phone at 704-594-8662.
Want to do your own research? Here’s Chapter 42 of the North Carolina General Statues: Landlord and Tenant.
FOOD ASSISTANCE
Individuals who need food assistance for their children can text FOODNC to 877-877 to locate nearby free meal sites. The texting service is also available in Spanish by texting COMIDA to 877-877.
After entering their address, parents will receive a text with the location and serving times for nearby pick-up and drive-thru free meal sites while schools are closed.
Additionally, No Kid Hungry has created a map of local school sites, community organizations and food assistance programs across North Carolina where families can access food. The interactive map can be viewed at http://www.nokidhungrync.org/covid19/ and is updated daily.
Critical updates: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina
Charlotte Community-led Resource Map: https://viewer.mapme.com/cltcommunityresources?fbclid=IwAR1eskNwdCeHm9S55Kjmvo8VZwfx5jaaLaIo0nJNtJKoXpNbY0uWA0dv8p8
Message from Mayor Vi Lyles: https://www.facebook.com/ViLylesCLT/videos/231938771530208/
NCRC: https://www.ncrc.org/covid/Arts & Science Council: https://www.artsandscience.org/free-virtual-experiences/?fbclid=IwAR0G_jN1NOloTedcAprV84W-am9UD3JhZMg9LW-EMllfC5d8T3yPDStrOpQ
Charlotte Water: https://charlottenc.gov/Water/Pages/Home.aspx and https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article241169101.html
Duke Energy: https://www.dukeenergyupdates.com/
Piedmont Natural Gas: https://www.piedmontng.com/home
Charlotte Observer ‘NC Courts stop evictions and foreclosures as part of coronavirus response’ https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article241226521.html
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: https://www.cms.k12.nc.us/News/NewsArchive.aspx
Kahn Academy Student Daily Schedule Templates: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub
Autism and the Coronavirus: Resources for Families: https://childmind.org/autism-coronavirus-resources-for-parents/
and https://childmind.org/article/tips-for-talking-with-your-child-with-autism-about-the-coronavirus/
Students needing WiFi access to support eLearning can call 1-844-488-8398 to review the option for FREE WiFi services via Spectrum.
Foster youth impacted by universities closing campuses can contact info@togetherwerise.org to find housing assistance during COVID-19 closures.
Legal Advice : Legal Aid provides assistance to tenants or individuals staying in hotels who have questions about their rights or are in a dispute with their landlord. Please call 704-376-1600 for assistance.
Visit online Disaster Distress Helpline or call (800) 985-5990 or TTY 1-800-846-8517.
• Send text TalkWithUs to 66746.
• Visit online National Domestic Violence Hotline or call (800) 799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224.
Mental Health Hotline resources that may be useful :
Mental Health: 1-800-442-9673
Depression: 1-630-482-9696
Lifeline: 1-800-784-8433