The Relatives Family Update
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Every holiday season at The Relatives reminds me that family isn’t about shared DNA; it’s the people who stand in your corner. While my home is filled with family gathered around the kitchen table, I know that’s not true for thousands of youth in Charlotte. For too many, this season brings a painful reminder of what they lack: a family to call their own.
At The Relatives, I get to witness something powerful: we become family to every young person who walks through our doors. During the holidays, I pay extra attention because this time of year isn’t always joyful for young people facing crisis. I work alongside our incredible team to ensure that every kid at our Youth Crisis Center, every young adult at On Ramp, and every family in our housing program knows they belong. We celebrate with them. We sit with them. We are the warm embrace they need.
This holiday season, I invite you to read Ashlei’s story on our Holidays at The Relatives page. Her journey from sleeping in her car to having a home where she can celebrate is a testament to what happens when a community chooses to be family. Thank you for being a Relative to the young people who need you most.
Warmly,
Trish Hobson
Excecutive Director
The Relatives works tirelessly every day to ensure youth in crisis experience relief, acceptance, and empowerment. This month, a gift to The Relatives helps ensure we continue meeting the need and remain an essential community resource to those who rely on us. Make your gift today to support our mission to keep kids safe and families together this holiday season.
“When you sit down and share a meal, barriers disappear. You stop seeing ‘clients’ or ‘guests’— you just see people” – Trish Hobson, Executive Director of The Relatives
Offer someone a moment of connection when you step up to the table and join us for a Family Meal!
Supporting Families Through Every Challenge
At The Relatives, we know that keeping families together isn’t just about providing shelter or resources. It’s about addressing the real, complex challenges that families face: mental health struggles, communication breakdowns, and the exhaustion that comes from parenting youth in crisis. We offer support in a variety of ways, directed by our clients and families.
Counseling and Mental Health Support
Our counseling services at both the Youth Crisis Center and On Ramp Resource Center provide a safe space for young people to process their experiences, build coping skills, and begin to heal. We meet them where they are with compassion and consistency, helping them develop the emotional resilience they need to move forward.
Walking with Parents
When a child enters our Youth Crisis Center, we support their parents, too. We work directly with parents to address the challenges that brought their child to us, offering guidance, resources, and support. Family reunification is always our goal when it’s safe and possible.
Parenting Classes That Empower
Our monthly Parenting Challenging Youth classes are based on the Love and Logic parenting model, a philosophy that empowers parents and teaches children responsibility. These free classes at On Ramp give parents practical techniques for navigating the complexities of raising children of any age.
Case Management That Connects
Our case managers work with young adults and families to navigate housing, employment, education, and health services. They build relationships, celebrate progress, and problem-solve setbacks. They become a steady, reliable presence in the lives of families who have often experienced instability and broken promises.
Supporting families means showing up, again and again, with the resources and compassion that families need to stay together and move forward.
Calling All Corporate Partners!
The Relatives is proud to announce the return of Corporate Partners Day where we hope to enrich, grow, and engage our network of corporate supporters.
All are welcome to join us! You can learn about opportunities for your business or employer to build a deeper connection with The Relatives. And feel free to invite other business leaders you know to this event.
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