CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Barbara Yow makes every meal with love. 

“Samaritan House is my heartbeat,” she said. “It’s just such a loving place, and we get just as much as we give at this house — even more.”

She’s cooked at the Samaritan House once a week for the last five years. The recovery center on Fortune Street in Charlotte helps people going through homelessness bounce back after a hospital stay and has been serving the Charlotte community for 20 years.

If the center doesn’t raise enough funding to continue operating, it’ll be forced to close its doors for good. Just weeks ago, the board decided to temporarily close and launch a funding campaign to raise $200,000. Board members say that’ll cover operational costs and critical repairs, like plumbing and mold issues. 

Before volunteering, Yow worked as a nurse for 42 years, helping people from all walks of life. Those with nowhere to go when they left the hospital stayed on her mind over the years.  

“They tend to not have the reserves, the resources — not only physically, but also emotionally and mentally,” she said.

Rodney Tucker, the executive director of the center, says donations slowed significantly when the pandemic hit, prompting the board of directors to take action.

“When they realized that we were running a little bit low on cash to make the repairs and to continue with staffing, is when they made the hard decision to do the temporary close,” he said.

If Samaritan House doesn’t re-open, Yow says the community would face dire consequences. 

“Lives will be lost. Lives will be changed. I can’t imagine this community without it,” she said. “Every community deserves a Samaritan House.”

A crucial service as Mecklenburg County’s latest count of the region’s homeless population surpassed 3,200 people last fall, growing by 3% in just one year. 

If Samaritan House reaches its goal, it’ll open the doors again July 1. For more information on making a donation, click here.