Former Tent City resident ‘grateful, thankful’ for help getting back on his feet

CHARLOTTE — It’s cleared out now, but thousands of tents once lined the streets near uptown Charlotte until Mecklenburg County leaders forced everyone to move last week.

Several local organizations, including #SpreadTheLoveCLT, have focused on “Tent City” for months, providing people with food, shelter and other items.

In a video posted to Facebook earlier this month, #SpreadTheLoveCLT co-founder Katie Stiles asked for donations for their organization. This was before the county issued the abatement order, forcing those living in the encampment to leave within 72 hours.

Stiles and Travis Wright created #SpreadTheLoveCLT to help the homeless because they used to be homeless themselves.

“I didn’t have any resources,” Wright said. “I didn’t have any people to depend on for anything.”

With that in mind, the couple set out to help Warren Thompsan, who lived in Tent City for several months.

“I was sleeping in a tent with two or three other guys, yes,” Thompsan told Channel 9.

Not only did #SpreadTheLoveCLT provide him with essential items, but the organization also helped Thompsan obtain an identification card, a Social Security card, and build a resume.

Oftentimes, they gave him rides and had even given him one to his interview with Channel 9 on Wednesday.

“If it weren’t for them, I would still be out here on the streets,” said Thompsan. “But you know what? I’m grateful and thankful for people like that.”

Thompsan moved out of the encampment in December, which was before the abatement order was issued. In just a few months, he has turned his life around. He now works as a cook in uptown Charlotte and has a new apartment with a few roommates.

When Mecklenburg County issued the abatement order for Tent City, it cited a rat infestation. The county was vocal about how some groups might be doing more harm than good with their outreach.

When asked about that, Wright said a few improvements to the area could have prevented the infestation.

“To me, the city didn’t put enough trash cans and just do enough down there,” Wright said. “If you had that many people down there, why wasn’t it being serviced every week?”

Wright added that just because the tents are gone, doesn’t mean the problem is.

“All the help is not going to come from just you sticking your hand out and you thinking that people are coming in to save you,” Wright said. “There’s a lot of footwork you have to do yourself.”

#SpreadTheLoveCLT is committed to connecting with people who are still sleeping on the streets, to let them know help is available.

For more information on the organization, visit their website.

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Cox Media Group