Charlotte family finds home after years in hotel rooms thanks to nonprofit

CHARLOTTE — New furniture is just part of a lifeline for a Charlotte man who finally got permanent housing after years in hotel rooms.

Channel 9’s Eli Brand met Jeffrey Warren in his new home, and he had a smile on his face the entire time Thursday morning.

“I’m super grateful,” Warren said.

Most of it is because his fortunes changed just a few weeks ago. He says he had been living in hotel rooms for three years with his four-year-old son. Some of that was because of financial issues, others because he had to overcome some past legal problems that kept him from being approved for a lease.

He overcame those problems when he met Jessica Gibson with the Just Do It Movement.

“It was amazing, just that relief off of my shoulders,” Warren said.

Gibson is the executive director of the Just Do It Movement, which helps people in the Charlotte area dealing with housing insecurity. She says Warren was a perfect candidate who has turned his life around since working as a mechanic.

“We’re super excited to get to experience that with him today,” Gibson said.

But as fulfilling as the work is, it isn’t getting easier. Gibson says in a typical year, her organization helps house around 15 families. This year alone, that number has jumped to 29. Twenty more families are on the waiting list.

“Individuals are being anywhere from evicted from their apartments, they are needing help with utility bills, their landlords are selling off their units; they are being displaced,” Gibson said.

Gibson says individual donations are also dropping. Many people who normally donate simply can’t afford to do so anymore. She says to keep work like this going, help is needed. You can help out at this link.

“It’s a stress reliever,” Warren said.

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