Our Model

Oak City Cares is a collaboration that fulfills the long-term strategy for addressing homelessness in Wake County.

Our Goal

To make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.

Who is homeless in Wake County?

Nearly 5,500 people in Wake County experienced homelessness last year, and that number increased by 25% over the prior year, even as it declined in North Carolina overall. On any given night in Wake county, approximately 1,000 people are homeless. In the 2016-2017 school year, nearly 3,500 students in Wake County Schools were identified as homeless.

Why are people homeless?

The reasons for homelessness are complex:

the fast-growing Wake County population (66 people per day)
a lack of affordable housing
barriers to accessing services.

Individuals and families remain in homelessness much too long while trying to navigate the multitude of services, going from agency to agency and often not knowing which services will best meet all of their needs. When people remain homeless for long periods, they become isolated and lose hope due to the lack of social supports that are necessary for anyone to overcome homelessness.

Who is homeless in Wake County?

Nearly 5,500 people in Wake County experienced homelessness last year, and that number increased by 25% over the prior year, even as it declined in North Carolina overall. On any given night in Wake county, approximately 1,000 people are homeless. In the 2016-2017 school year, nearly 3,500 students in Wake County Schools were identified as homeless.

Why are people homeless?

The reasons for homelessness are complex:

the fast-growing Wake County population (66 people per day)
a lack of affordable housing
barriers to accessing services.

Individuals and families remain in homelessness much too long while trying to navigate the multitude of services, going from agency to agency and often not knowing which services will best meet all of their needs. When people remain homeless for long periods, they become isolated and lose hope due to the lack of social supports that are necessary for anyone to overcome homelessness.