The City of Raleigh is collaborating with The Great Raleigh Cleanup (TGRC) and A Place at the Table on “The Workforce” program. This program employs people experiencing homelessness to beautify City locations such as parks, waterways, and roadsides. It provides opportunities and support for people experiencing homelessness by connecting them to resources that can help them access shelter and other needs. This program is important for making Raleigh a more beautiful place to live, work, and play while also supporting equity and resilience by creating education and engagement with the community.
The original pilot phase of this program received positive feedback from participants and collaborators. During the pilot, the program employed 18 residents, who worked a total of 400 hours at a living-wage rate of $18/hour ($7,200 in wages). Participants removed 7,670 pounds of litter and returned 74 shopping carts. They said the program provided valuable support for them, including the ability to get daily essentials and supplies, temporary housing, job experience, the ability to access other support programs that required reporting proof-of-income, and a sense of pride and accomplishment. In June 2024, Raleigh City Council approved the continuation of the program.
Raleigh-based TGRC’s mission is to embrace the power of community to ensure litter-free neighborhoods for all. It supports environmental stewardship through organized beautification projects and related events. In addition to earning a living wage, program participants receive a meal at A Place at the Table, Raleigh’s first pay-what-you-can café, which supports community members who are food insecure.
Contributing to Broader Climate Action and Housing Goals
This program supports the implementation of the City's Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP). CCAP focuses on high-impact climate action strategies including:
- Addressing equity
- Building community resilience
- Encouraging community empowerment
- Fostering environmental stewardship
People experiencing homelessness can be particularly vulnerable to climate threats like heat and flooding in Raleigh. Helping them access resources helps with creating a healthier, safer community that is more resilient to climate impacts.
Several City departments collaborated with TGRC to fund and design the program. The work included collaboration between the Sustainability department and Housing and Neighborhoods to develop communications and outreach that’s supportive of people experiencing homelessness and the resources they need.
The City is dedicated to supporting programs that assist community members with resources that help them access affordable housing. This includes providing support for people experiencing homelessness. While the Workforce program doesn’t provide housing to people experiencing homelessness directly, it’s an important step in building closer relationships and trust with them, helping them connect to vital and immediate resources, building work experience for future opportunities, and providing a way to earn funds for day-to-day needs. In addition, the program will work in partnership with the City's Housing & Neighborhoods Department to connect people to permanent housing resources.
View more information on programs and services for residents experiencing homelessness.
