‘Only going to get better’: Charlotte nonprofits help flight attendant find stable ground

CHARLOTTE — From hotel rooms to a permanent home, a collaboration between nonprofits in Charlotte helped a mom in need get back on her feet.

“What brought me to Charlotte is I was a flight attendant,” Jaye told Channel 9’s Gina Esposito.

Jaye navigated the skies for years, but says finding a stable place to live for her and her 10-year-old daughter was not easy.

“I did have furniture when I came down to Charlotte, a U-Haul full of furniture, and I had to sell everything on social media to survive,” Jaye said.

Jaye says she reached out to her daughter’s school for help. A social worker referred her to Families Forward, which helps families experiencing financial hardships.

Families Forward paid for Jaye to live in a hotel for two months while Housing Collaborative helped her find stable housing.

The time allowed Jaye to save up money, so when the time came, she paid the deposit and first month’s rent on a home near her daughter’s school.

“If I didn’t mention it, if I didn’t say anything, if I was too proud, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today,” Jaye said.

“She’s such a dedicated mom and made really hard choices along the way, but has found a great path forward, and we’re excited for her,” said Carrie Christian, executive director with Families Forward.

Christian says Jaye also got connected to Beds for Kids, which furnished her home for free.

“This is my daughter’s. This is her desk. I was saying she put her anime characters up there and has somewhere to do her homework,” Jaye said.

Jaye calls this furniture a blessing, telling Channel 9 her favorite corner is this yellow chair where she can read. It was an emotional moment that all happened just a few weeks before her daughter went back to school.

“I had really conquered what I knew wasn’t going to last forever, and my 10-year-old, she sees that because she was right along with me. She sees me. She was in that U-Haul with me,” Jaye said. “I’m looking for the next unfolding blessing because it’s only going to get better.”

Families Forward helps about 100 families per year. Their next class starts in the fall with 40 families. They say most of their referrals come from Title I schools in Charlotte.

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