There's a new face of homelessness in Mecklenburg County. With the economy and rising prices of gas and food, it’s very easy for families to find themselves without shelter.

A Charlotte family recently went from a beautiful home with lovely furniture to living in a campground and then had no place to go.

Now the King family spends some free time in the basement of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte. It’s a day shelter for homeless families, and it’s the last place Tara King thought they'd be

“We kind of went from living in a gorgeous house with all kinds of beautiful furniture and toys, everything you can imagine to not even having anywhere to go,” she said.

Tara King's on disability, and when Sammie King lost his job as a boat builder, they lost their house and stayed in campgrounds until the money ran out.

“We had nowhere to go. We had no idea what we were going to do,” Tara King said.

Someone told the Kings about Family Promise of Charlotte, which is run by volunteers from 13 area churches. It helps families get back on their feet. In fact, Sammie King already has a new job in construction.

Kathy Bolster with Family Promise said many families in our area are just one paycheck away from homelessness, and something like a health crisis can take away rent money.

“They get into this vicious cycle of not being able to pay their rent, eviction, and then not being able to go into another apartment because of eviction, going into hotel rooms and not being able to afford hotel rooms,” she said.

Family Promise is helping Delta Barr, who's facing eviction. She said she’s not getting child support, and when her car broke and she couldn't get to work, she lost her job.

Family Promise stepped in with a month's rent and help with the job search.

“I'm sure I'll be able to land a position that will allow me to go from there,” Barr said.

Family Promise is more than a warm, safe bed. It’s designed to keep families together through financial crisis and help them become self sufficient again.

Family Promise of Charlotte is non-denominational. They've helped 16 families since September, when they started, and could do more with more volunteers.

To get involved, visit Family Promise of Charlotte.