The Grove Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC, showcase just what faith with good works looks like. Through their nonprofit development organization, Kinship Plot, the church has answered the call to provide housing for residents who earn less than 50% of the income within the area.
Grove Presbyterian realized their goals through the Faith in Housing initiative spearheaded by the City of Charlotte. The Faith in Housing offers faith-based organizations and nonprofits $30,000 in grant money to make affordable housing projects, like Grove Presbyterian’s efforts, a reality.
“There are lots of roadblocks and challenges, City of Charlotte Assistant Director of Affordable Housing Warren Wooten said. “There’s a big knowledge gap from wanting to do it and then having the expertise to do it. These are things that we’re systematically trying to remove, providing the education that they need in additional resources, and then also bringing experts to the table that can help them through the process.”
As Wooten suggested, these grants do more than simply provide funding for housing efforts across Charlotte. With the monies and the support, the Faith in Housing grants will allow these organizations to offer technical assistance and training programs to not only ensure affordable housing options get off the ground, but also provide the training necessary to keep future endeavors a tangible possiblity.
Grove Presbyterian is one of 12 such faith-based orgs to be part of the current Faith in Housing cohort.
Faith by the Numbers
It’s important to understand the significance of such a grant, not only for the organizations receiving them, but for the people this money will directly affect.
In 2024, Charlotte was in need of 42,373 more affordable housing units than was available.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income from 2020-2024 in Charlotte was $82,068. However, the income per capita reached just over $51,000 ($51,814). Further, about 11% of Charlotte’s population fell below the poverty line.
As mentioned, Faith in Housing has awarded 12 grants of $30,000 to faith-based organizations aiming to address the housing disparities within the city.
Faith in People
For Grove Presbyterian, this is their first major development project, one that gives those living within the city to be able to truly feel a part of their community. “Not only the beauty of the land, the heart of the grove, and the people of the grove wanting to share, but also the location where people want to live so that they can have access to the city that they live in,” Vander Lugt said. While this is their first, and it’s admittedly been a challenge, Lugt and Pastor Kate Murphy are dedicated to helping those in the most need.
“I believe God is calling us to do this,” Pastor Kate said. “I think that for the people who will live in these houses, these houses themselves will be an answer for prayer.”
In the end, these initiatives point to intentionality from the community to ensure everyone has a place to sleep at night.
“That’s a way that the city can step in and say: ‘Hey, we’re going to take this risk out of the equation for you. We’re going to go ahead and pay for these to help you take that next step forward,’” Wooten said.
Where’s the Good?
It’s in the hands of people who dedicate their lives to the true teachings of the Bible they believe in. Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and, yes, giving shelter to those who are without. Charlotte’s Faith in Housing initiative is more than a grant. It’s those who have the means to do so using their privilege to move closer to giving hope to the least of us.
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