HOUSINGFEST: Blumenthal Joins Efforts to End Homelessness

Blumenthal Performing Arts is stepping up to help raise awareness and dollars to end homelessness as one of the presenters of HousingFest, a live music and visual arts festival featuring Mandolin Orange, on June 20 at Knight Theater.

 

Chronic homelessness and a lack of affordable housing are two issues that affect many people in our community. One recent study identified more than 1,600 people who were experiencing homelessness in Mecklenburg County on a given night in 2018. Unfortunately, even some of the positive changes taking place in Charlotte right now, such as a strong economy and an influx of new residents, have a downside: they drive up housing prices and spur gentrification, displacing people from their homes and neighborhoods, often leaving them no affordable place to go.

 

WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS

“I think there are a lot of people who see homelessness and want to know what they can do to help, and we want to have a space in the community where we can have those conversations,” says Katie Church, Community Relations Specialist at Urban Ministry Center, a not-for-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness. That’s where HousingFest comes in. The annual event was created to raise awareness and funds for our community. Since 2014, the festival has raised $167,000 to support people in need and combat homelessness.

 

This year, for the first time Blumenthal Performing Arts, MaxxMusic, and Visulite Theatre are joining forces with Urban Ministry Center to present this important community event. Mandolin Orange, the Chapel Hill-based folk duo, will headline HousingFest 2019 along with special guest Daughter of Swords. Tickets start at $35, which includes a $2 donation to combat homelessness in our community.

 

Community partners are essential to the work Urban Ministry Center (UMC) does. “We were thrilled when we heard there could be a partnership with Blumenthal,” says Church, pointing to a shared interest in having musical performances that are accessible and reach a broad audience. “[There was a] good synergy there and how we view bringing community together for a great love of music or for a great cause.”

 

Since the 1990s, UMC has focused on serving people in our community who are chronically homeless and assisting people to find permanent, affordable housing with supports. The organization, which recently merged with Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, works in a myriad of ways to remove barriers that stand in the way of that happening. For instance, it helps house several hundred people at risk of homelessness by providing rental units at affordable prices (tenants pay 30% of their earned income—whatever that may be). For those who are currently homeless, it also provides day-to-day services like showers, laundry facilities, and a soup kitchen which operates 365 days a year. UMC offers phone and mail services as well, two virtual necessities when you’re filling out job applications.

 

Long term support is available in the form of counseling services, substance abuse programs, and employment assistance. A community garden gives residents and others a chance to give back: the fresh produce they harvest supports the efforts of Friendship Trays, which delivers healthy meals to the elderly and infirm, and The Bulb, a mobile farmers market which serves food-insecure neighborhoods. UMC also has an art studio, run by a licensed social worker, which offers a space for creativity as well as a therapeutic outlet.

 

In all, the organization helps an average of 1,000 people daily.

 

WAYS YOU CAN HELP & SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Church hopes that as people come together to hear great music and enjoy art at HousingFest, they will also learn more about UMC’s work and may decide to get involved as volunteers, donors or advocates.

 

UMC will host two micro-events also featuring live music and art leading up to HousingFest. Proceeds from festival merchandise and artwork—including pieces created by those who are currently or previously homeless—will also go toward supporting affordable housing and services to people in our community.

• On June 1, UMC will host a chalk art competition at the Eastside Local Eatery 1st Annual Festival .
• On June 8, HousingFest Unplugged will take place at Charlotte Art League.
• On June 20, don’t miss the big event: HousingFest at Knight Theater featuring Mandolin Orange!

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

“For the first time in a couple years, we’re seeing homelessness numbers rise,” says Church. While we can all experience crises in our lives, the difference between those who can weather a rough patch and those who fall into despair often is determined by the supports we have available to us. That's what makes UMC's work so important.

 

But our understanding of the need for affordable housing as a long-term solution to homelessness is also key. Church says many of our community conversations focus on people who have 60 - 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) while the majority of people UMC serves are making 30% or less of the AMI.

 

“We absolutely need affordable housing for every income bracket,” she says.

 

Help us spread the word about HousingFest and the good work UMC does in our community!