A Fresh Coat of Paint

The Center of Hope, a Charlotte women and children’s shelter operated by The Salvation Army, will undergo an interior redesign and refurbishment at the direction of Teresa Earnhardt who has volunteered to provide a critically needed boost to the facility. As part of the facilities’ “A Fresh Coat of Paint” initiative, Earnhardt will apply her extensive interior design experience to the project.  The 45,000-square-foot shelter is the largest in the Southeast, and is home to more than 225 individuals each night.  It is estimated that the shelter houses nine percent of all sheltered children in North Carolina. Since 2002 it has been home to tens of thousands of residents which has produced excessive wear and tear on the facility.

As part of designing an enriching atmosphere for the residents, Earnhardt will assess the resident’s diverse needs and then select colors, materials and furnishings to fit the space.  The walls, floors and furniture are in need of repair or replacement, and as such, she has designed private and comfortable beds for the women and their children. The shelter has not had a major renovation since its construction in 1991.

It is designed to support the first steps that women and children go through as they suddenly find themselves with no place to sleep as a result of finances, domestic violence or any number of other causes.  Staying at the shelter allows the opportunity to find self-sufficiency by receiving a safe place to sleep, three nutritional meals each day, childcare, employment, education, GED classes and comprehensive social services provided by 14 bachelor-level degreed case managers and physicians.

“The women and children that visit the Center of Hope need our help and support as a community.  They are taking major steps to create better lives for their children and themselves, and they deserve a comfortable, safe environment to live temporarily.” Teresa Earnhardt