A funding boost and renovations: How Charlotte’s Samaritan House plans to begin anew.

Anna Rebello
·4 min read

Four months ago, Samaritan House was in financial straits and facing over $60,000 in unexpected repairs.

The almost two-decade-old organization that serves homeless persons recently hospitalized temporarily closed in March to run an emergency fundraising campaign.

Since then, the organization has raised over $451,000, said Rodney Tucker, executive director of the Samaritan House. Those funds enable the nonprofit to have a full makeover and reopen on July 17.

“We really wanted to keep a home-y feel,” Tucker said. “From day one, we are looking at [our clients’] health, housing, and where they want to go to next.”

The 12-bed facility — while limited in the volume of people they can serve — allows clients to closely connect with the Samaritan House resources to achieve a more productive and holistic recovery.

But its mission needed to be put on hold.

Post-pandemic inflation and an increase demand for their services prevented Samaritan House from providing the highest level of care for their clients, according to their website. The nonprofit set out to address funding challenges and lack of volunteers, with an original goal of bringing in $200,000.

As much as $95,000 was spent on renovations, according to Tucker. The remainder went toward hiring and general operating costs. Specific renovations include updating the HVAC system, making two bathrooms compliant with the American Disabilities Act, replacing all beds and flooring, and adding a push button to open the back door.

Tucker has also hired a general contractor, to check up on the facility every month, to avoid compounding maintenance issues and to prevent future closures.

These funds came from GoFundMe and benefactions from various foundations, organizations, health care facilities and churches in and around the Charlotte area.

Also during the closure, Samaritan House focused on “renewed relationships,” according to Tucker. The organization brought on new board members and reestablished connections with local healthcare systems and congregations.

Samaritan House has a full kitchen where residents have access to hot food during their stay at Charlotte’s only medical respite facility, set to open on July 17th. The facility will serve unhoused people exiting the hospital. They stay for the duration of their recovery, which is usually around a month, and receive regular meals, a bed to sleep in and transport to and from their medical appointments.

A nurturing home for those in need

Opened in 2005, the Fortune Street home in southeast Charlotte is the sole medical respite center in Mecklenburg County for people experiencing homelessness, according to the Samaritan House website.

It provides three meals a day and transportation to medical appointments for clients, as well as connect them to social workers to facilitate their medical recovery and plan for future and secure housing.

Their ultimate goal is to reduce hospital re-admittance and emergency room visits for Charlotte’s homeless population.

Without a home to return to, Tucker explained, homeless people might end up staying in the hospital longer than critically necessary, which can “clog the healthcare system.”

But when they do go back to an environment that isn’t best suited for recovery — like an encampment, their cars or even some shelters — these people affected by homelessness often need to return to the hospital due to infections or worsening symptoms, Tucker says. This can result in even higher medical bills.

A 2021 survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation reports the average cost in North Carolina for each patient to spend the day in the hospital exceeds $2,500. The daily operating cost per patient at Samaritan House is around $125, according to Tucker. But even then, their clients do not pay a dime.

“We’re reducing people returning to the emergency room — and hopefully helping some of that congestion that doesn’t have to be in hospitals — when we help [our clients] take care of themselves,” Rodney said.

Samaritan House offers communal spaces where people can watch television, play the piano or sit at a table and talk at one of the of the amenities at Charlotte’s only medical respite facility, set to open on July 17th. The facility will serve unhoused people exiting the hospital. They stay for the duration of their recovery, which is usually around a month, and receive hot meals, a bed to sleep in and transport to and from their medical appointments.

Support from the Charlotte community

Samaritan House does not receive county, state or federal funding. Its operation is dependent on monetary contributions from the community. Tucker says the nonprofit is redeveloping its fundraising plan to prevent future closures and keep them on track to support 100 clients — who typically stay for 30 days — in a given year.

With only five full-time employees and an annual operating budget of $360,000, Samaritan house relies on volunteers — dubbed “the heart of the Samaritan House” — to contribute to their day-to-day duties, including landscaping, serving meals and interacting with clients.

The volunteers’ involvement and overall structure at Samaritan House is based around maintaining the most nurturing environment as possible.

“Having a support system is how people feel better … and get better faster,” said Tucker.

Upcoming dates for Samaritan House

Samaritan House at 611 Fortune St. opens its doors to the volunteers again beginning Tuesday of next week:

  • Monday, July 10: New staff starts

  • Tuesday, July 11: Community open house and dedication, 5 to 7 p.m.

  • Wednesday, July 12: Volunteer orientation, 6:30 p.m.

  • Monday, July 17: Facility opens to new clients