(bright music) - [Announcer] This is a production of PBS Charlotte.

- Just ahead on "Carolina Impact," lending a helping hand, how some on Charlotte's East Side serve the homeless.

- [Jonathan] Could be just a few more steps.

I could be out here myself.

- [Amy] Plus we learn how local women help rescue animals with serious medical conditions.

- It is the best feeling in the world to see that we really can save lives.

- [Amy] And get your utensils ready.

We'll explore what you need to know about this year's Queen's Feast.

- [Jon] The level of food sophistication has really been awesome to be a part of.

- "Carolina Impact" starts right now.

(bright music) Good evening.

Thanks so much for joining us.

I'm Amy Burkett.

When you head to a one-stop shopping store, you expect to find tons of cars and shoppers rushing by.

But PBS Charlotte's, Dara Khaalid and videographer Russ Hunsinger found a refuge for the homeless at one recently.

As of last October, Charlotte reported just over 3,200 homeless, which is nearly a 15% increase over the year before.

But there are many people across our area trying to help.

Tonight, we get to know some a little better.

- [Dara] Most days, this part of the Target parking lot on Albemarle Road is filled with the cars of shoppers.

But now it's filled with tables and volunteers to serve the homeless.

- When I was out talking to the unhoused, I was getting the impression and I was getting actual rhetoric from them saying that they couldn't travel to uptown to seek resources.

- You done good.

- I appreciate it, bro.

- [Dara] So, Officer Gary Ritter with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department decided to bring assistance directly to them through the Umbrella Project Outreach Initiative.

- I'm gonna give you my business card as well.

- Thank you.

- This is a pathway for them to be able to get help that they need, talk to folks, get resources started so they can help themselves get off the street.

I'll try to get you some help, get you back on your feet, but this is exactly what this event's for.

- [Dara] Some of that help includes job skill training.

- I'm 63 years old, it's kind of hard to get a job, you know?

- [Dara] Housing placement.

- They help me get a place.

- [Dara] And access to medical care, but these aren't the only challenges the unhoused community faces.

(poignant music) - People don't like you when you're homeless.

I lost all my friends.

People lose your number.

They don't call you back.

Nobody cares when you get homeless.

You know, they treat you like a dog out here.

- [Dara] For seven years, Brian Donato has been struggling to get by, living out of his '94 Dodge Intrepid.

- It's my home.

It's my safe haven.

It's the only thing I got left.

- [Dara] The backseat of his car where you see the pile of clothes is the place he never thought he'd have to sleep at night.

But health issues caused him to lose everything.

- I've had four heart attacks in a row.

I've had five stents, and I couldn't work all day long.

I couldn't work all week and I needed help and I couldn't get any.

- [Dara] Brian isn't alone.

According to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Housing and Homelessness dashboard, over 3,200 people in the area don't have a home.

- Did you want a sandwich?

- Yeah.

- Which is something Jonathan Dulin is working to change.

- Yeah, I was walking actually in this parking lot and I saw a, actually a whole encampment of homeless that were living in these very woods, and they actually came to me and they said, they motioned me to come into the woods with them.

- You have your hands full here of blankets.

And that's exactly where he took me, into the woods, as he carried a large box of blankets to give to the needy braving the cold.

- They're valuable, they're people and you know, it would be just a few more steps.

I could be out here myself, and so I don't see myself as any different.

I did want to go, just go around and if anyone has anything that they would like to share or prayer requests or anything- - [Dara] The same way he cares for the less fortunate in Charlotte by giving them necessities and praying for them is the same way he cared for people overseas as a missionary for nearly 20 years.

- I met the homeless living below the manholes in Russia.

And we would go out and I would find homeless and sometimes we would bring them in when it was negative 30 or 40 degrees because you would start missing fingers and legs or death.

- [Dara] It's a journey that began when Jonathan visited Russia for the first time at 19 years old and saw the poverty.

- I never really set out to think, "Oh, I'm gonna make a career path as a missionary."

It just kind of happened.

- [Dara] That accidental career also led him to countries like China, Mongolia and the Philippines.

His wife Carrie of 22 years was with him for all of it.

- It's definitely inspiring.

He has a lot of energy and just new ideas and just a passion for what he does.

Reaching people and showing that, you know, they're valuable and they have a purpose.

(bright music) - [Dara] In 2022, the couple moved back to the US with their four kids and decided to settle down in Charlotte.

- [Jonathan] I grew up here and I grew actually in the east side of Charlotte, not too far from the Target parking lot.

Do you remember the time it was raining?

- [Dara] The same Target parking lot where you'll find him every Wednesday afternoon, passing out food and building friendships with those who need it most.

- One homeless man wrote me one time, he says, "You know what?

We're invisible out here.

People look through us and around us, they don't look directly at us."

And the goal is to look directly at them because they're created in the image of God and God loves him.

All right.

Let's play.

- [Dara] Can at the end of every day when he returns to his home.

- That's a nine, I think.

- After serving those without a home, he knows there's still much more work to be done.

- Well, you know, you can always call me and I will take you if you need it, man.

- For "Carolina Impact," I'm Dara Khaalid.

- Thank you, Dara.

A report from 2024 shows that the homeless number in the US surpassed 770,000, an increase of 18% over the previous year.

Well, Jonathan isn't the only one helping across our region.

Animal shelters and rescues have great needs too.

Carolina Impact's Rochelle Metzger and videographer John Branscum introduced us to a group of women in Charlotte dedicated to treating dogs with serious medical conditions and finding them homes.

- [Rochelle] On a sunny Saturday.

- Oh my goodness.

- The sight and sounds of pups big and small- - Good babies.

- [Rochelle] Have brought crowds of people to Sycamore Brewing in South End, Charlotte.

- Oh, they're so cute.

- [Rochelle] This may look like your typical pet adoption, but these are rescue dogs and they've had a hard life.

For these puppies, their whole lives have been a fight for survival.

- They were brought in with their entire litter in a terrible condition.

They were sick, they were throwing up, barely could lift their heads.

- Avery Andolina is with Forgotten, Now Family Rescue, the largest medical dog rescue organization in the Carolinas.

They not only take in abused and abandoned dogs, but those with serious medical conditions.

They treat the dogs and then find them homes.

- Feeling of seeing them from where they start to their forever homes is indescribable.

It is the best feeling in the world to see that, you know, we really can save lives.

- [Rochelle] Forgotten, Now Family Rescue was co-founded by best friends Emily Chandley and Chrissy Elder.

Elder, who has a rare heart condition, found emotional support in fostering and rehabbing sick animals.

- We are a place where it doesn't matter what disability you have, you can come donate your time.

It doesn't matter what you're going through, we accept you here.

- [Rochelle] Elder, who works in property management by day is the mother of four, including two children with special needs.

She's undergone more than a dozen heart procedures and has been known to post news and updates to the rescue's social media from her hospital bed.

The organization relies heavily on the power of social media to raise awareness and money.

A warning, many of the photos are extremely graphic.

- People need to see it.

They have to live it, then we have to see it.

I think that, you know, us pretending it doesn't exist, it doesn't change the problem.

- [Rochelle] The posts are a call to action for those who want to make a difference.

The rescue operates solely on donations and vet bills can run tens of thousands of dollars.

- I first followed them on Instagram and I saw that they were taking on medical cases that nobody else would take on.

- [Rochelle] The focus of monthly events like this one is to find people to adopt or potentially foster a dog.

Mary Grace Gaskin is a foster mom for Frank.

- These dogs all deserve a chance and sometimes they just don't get that chance.

And being able to help them, pull them out, socialize them, and find that real personality, it's just, it's rewarding.

- [Rochelle] Some dogs can be a bit shy while others like one-eyed Wylie love attention and the camera.

The goal is to be seen.

And many pups come dressed to impress.

Before they get here, the dogs start their journey with the nonprofit here at the Ark Veterinary facility in Charlotte.

- Okay buddy, - Where they're examined and treated by Dr. Kevin Scruggs and his team.

- First thing we do is a physical, so I'm checking all over, making sure their superficial wounds are just superficial.

Make sure they don't go down any deeper.

And then of course, on the inside, listen to the heart.

Looking at the eyes, nose, ears.

- [Rochelle] Elder says Ark is their main hub for medical boarding.

- Hi Buddy.

- [Rochelle] The rescue also takes in dogs involved in animal cruelty cases.

Dogs like King, who was rescued from a dog fighting ring in South Carolina.

- And this was the day that I got King.

- [Rochelle] Saved, literally from the jaws of death, King's story is one of resilience and survival, but the sad reality is in similar cases, the animals often end up euthanized while waiting in municipal shelters that don't have enough space.

For the dogs that survived their injuries, the road to recovery is long.

It weighs heavy on the hearts of the volunteers who travel that road with them.

- It's definitely a labor of love for most of these dogs, whether it's a burn victim or you know, a leg amputation.

But that's why we're here.

- Hi, sweet.

- The rescue was founded in 2021.

3 years in, Elder says they're raising about a million dollars annually to pay for medical expenses, but their work doesn't stop with the victims.

The organization works with law enforcement agencies to hold abusers accountable.

- That's part of our mission as well, making justice actually happen for these dogs versus, you know, us just cleaning up the cruelty acts.

We wanna actually stop the abusers.

- [Rochelle] Eventually, the organization hopes to have a brick and mortar headquarters.

For now, this rental acts as a home base for volunteers.

When Tropical Storm Debbie hit in August, 2024, the rescue was called to help move 50 dogs from three shelters in lower South Carolina that were at risk for flooding.

- They've been out here, they're soaking wet, they've been out here for hours, spending time with the dogs.

So seeing the kindness and the love that has happened from this organization is everything to me.

- [Rochelle] Volunteers also carried over 35 loads of pet supplies to the mountains.

They continue to work with partner organizations in the affected areas.

- I will never stop doing it.

I think that when you find your purpose, you stand in it and you continue to go forward.

And, I genuinely have watched so many lives change from this rescue.

- [Rochelle] They're changing lives and giving dogs like Frank and Wylie, a new leash on life.

For "Carolina Impact," I'm Rochelle Metzger.

- Thank you, Rochelle.

While the goal is to ultimately find pets a forever home, even providing a temporary one can make a big difference.

There are many ways you can get involved.

If you're interested in fostering, donating, adopting, or volunteering, we've posted a link on our website at wtvi.org.

Next up, in a city filled with artistic talent, one Charlotte School stands as a beacon for young creatives dedicated to fostering artistic excellence and academic success.

Videographer Marcellus Jones takes us inside Northwest School of the Arts, where the spotlight shines on students refining their skills and shaping their futures.

- [Instructor] So you can either use the sport rock, so when you go all sit home- - One of the things that makes Northwest so special, aside from having amazingly talented students is we are a safe haven for students and our staff to really thrive and to develop their talents.

- A lot of it's just letting go of what they think they should be and helping them discover who they really are and what makes them unique as an artist as opposed to trying to copy another famous artist.

- If one's legs get tired and one foot is on the with jobs to do.

When you get scarcely- - It's those, again, those transferable skills that the arts teaches here that will make them successful in life.

- You just realize at some point, you know, when I get outta here, there's no guarantee that I'm ever gonna be in a space like this again.

And so you just have to make, you make the most of it.

And it's definitely made me appreciative and grateful.

It's widened my view of visual arts and what visual arts can look like.

- What I try to impress upon them is artists are thinkers, we are readers, we are all of that.

You know, as an academician that's what, you have to have something to write or draw or make music about.

- I believe that creativity fosters critical thinking and their academic classes and skills enhance their artistic expression.

(chorus sings indistinctly) We want the students to be able to get past just, we want them to know their notes and rhythms that they're performing, but we also wanna get them past that so that they are performing the musical elements of the piece, connecting to it, and what the story is telling in performing the piece and conveying its meaning through that performance.

- And the Blumey Award goes to Renee Rapp.

(crowd cheers) - I transferred to Northwest my junior year of high school and I didn't know it then, but it 100% changed my life.

And a lot of the reason that that changed my life was because of my teachers and the people that I've gotten to work with at Northwest, like Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Hanson and all the other teachers who gave me a chance and who believed in me.

So our teachers matter and our education matters and our students matter.

(crowd cheers) My friend, thank you so much.

- Find your reason why and 'cause at the end of the day, you can think that you want to do it, but at the end of the day, the only people who really make it in this type of industry is the people who understand why they're doing in the first place.

I think once you learn why you want to do it, that can project you to practicing more, to going out of the box, pushing the mile because you know why, your end goal.

What is your end goal?

(upbeat music) - This is a place that's dedicated to enriching all students in the arts, regardless of their level of proficiency.

And it's absolutely critical that we have staff members who are entrenched in the arts as well.

For some of them, this is their day job.

And our students are so blessed to have a staff that is so committed to the arts beyond just the school day.

- Thank you, Marcellus.

Northwest also features programs in visual arts, creative writing and technical theater, empowering students to explore their talents and prepare for careers in the arts.

Well, wrapping up tonight, the holidays are over.

Time to put all those decorations away, even though I don't like doing it.

But for many, this is the time when the winter doldrums kick in.

But, there are things happening around town to keep those spirits up.

"Carolina Impact's" Jason Terzis joins us with one of them.

- Well, regardless of the time of the year, who's not always up for a good meal?

Charlotte Restaurant Week, otherwise known as the Queen's Feast is back for another round.

As they like to say, it's the semi-annual gastronomical event in which participating restaurants offer limited time incentive pricing, showcasing their menus, cuisine and atmosphere.

(jazz music) With a smooth mix of piano, bass, and drums, the 7th Street Gator Band cranks out another jazz blues jam.

- Live music every night for 40 years.

- [Jason] It's an industry in which 60% fail within the first year.

80% are gone within five years.

- The restaurant business is a very hard business.

- [Jason] The Cajun Queen, though, is the rare exception.

- Still that's an incredible feat in Charlotte.

Being around 40 years is an incredible feat in Charlotte.

(upbeat piano music) - [Jason] Nestled into Charlotte's Elizabeth neighborhood in a converted single family home built in 1918, the Cajun Queen has been serving up New Orleans style dishes like gumbo since 1985.

- Everything in this restaurant, everything in this restaurant is homemade except for the bread that we get delivered every day.

And the key lime pie that Chef thinks is so good, he doesn't need to make it.

Everything else starts from scratch.

He comes in every day and makes the etouffee, the creole, the gumbo, I mean, it is literally celery, onions, and peppers up to here all day long.

- [Jason] Since the early nineties, Tim Freer has served as Cajun Queen's managing partner.

He says it's the music, the house, and most importantly, the food that all blend together creating a magical formula.

- I went into the kitchen the other night and there was 100 years of Cajun Queen kitchen experience standing in there.

- [Jason] But despite its long-term success, Tim is always trying to lure in new customers.

That's why Cajun Queen has been participating in the Queen's Feast Charlotte Restaurant Week since it began in 2008.

- Restaurant week, every year, those two weeks are our higher, highest grossing weeks.

(meat sizzles) - [Jason] Over in Midtown, the sizzling sound of steaks on the grill serve as a little slice of heaven.

It's another busy Friday night at Dressler's, the kitchen crew, hard at work getting the succulent dishes out to customers ASAP.

- So we have five full service restaurants, two Fin and Fino, one Dressler's Restaurant, one Porter's House, one Chapter Six.

- [Jason] Owner Jon Dressler is what you'd call a restaurant lifer, getting his start in the industry when he was just 16.

- I was a dishwasher with Denny's.

I spent two years washing dishes in high school, and to this day, no one is allowed to fire a dishwasher in my employee without my approval.

- [Jason] And just like Tim at the Cajun Queen, Jon is always looking to earn new business during Restaurant Week.

- So for me, it was very simple.

It was an opportunity to expand your fan base and make it an affordable option for people to come during that week.

- It's a great deal for the dining public.

So we have different price tiers.

It's three course, prefixed dinners for 30, 35, 40, 45 or $50 and is up to the restaurant to set the price.

- [Jason] John and Tim have combined for decades in the business.

But interestingly, the man who started Restaurant Week doesn't work in the industry, but he does know public relations and marketing.

- And we've specialized in hospitality and tourism over the years and worked with a lot of restaurants.

- [Jason] Bruce Hensley and wife Jill run Hensley Fontana Public Relations.

They were working with a group of investors on another restaurant project back in 2007.

- And one of 'em said, "Well, how about Charlotte Restaurant Week?"

And we had no idea what they were talking about.

And so they explained the Restaurant Week concept to us, and the more they talked, the more we liked it.

- [Jason] At the time, there were only about two dozen cities doing Restaurant Weeks nationwide.

Now it's over 200.

In most cities, it's run by a visitor's bureau, Chamber of Commerce or a restaurant association, but not here.

- Initially we wanted to be hired by Visit Charlotte.

They told us no.

So I went to the Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance.

They told us no, and they sent us back to the Visit Charlotte folks, and they again told us no, but they said, "We will support you if you want to do it yourself."

Which was the best no we've ever gotten.

- [Jason] Using the blueprint from Denver, Colorado, Bruce spent the next 14 months putting the first Restaurant Week together.

- I mean, Bruce sent out a note, would we be interested, and I was very interested.

Any chance to have somebody else advertise for us, it's a good idea.

- When Bruce introduced it, at first it was a no brainer.

And to me, it was just a cool opportunity at not the busiest times of the year to be able to showcase your restaurant.

- They see the value in it because they get a spike in business and they see that, the new faces, they see trial business and it helps with their branding and it certainly helps with their bottom line in the slow periods of late January and late July.

- [Jason] Queen's Feast hit its peak in 2019 with 143 participating restaurants across 10 counties.

COVID then put a little damper on things, but it's coming back now to around 110 restaurants with each paying a $1,000 entry fee to participate.

- So we put all the registration fees and the sponsorship fees into a co-op marketing program, and we do broadcast, print, outdoor, a lot of social, a lot of earned media.

So it's a comprehensive six-figure marketing campaign twice a year.

- [Jason] And for old school owners like Tim and Jon, it's been great seeing the Queen City evolve and grow as a foodie kind of town.

- Charlotte, as a restaurant town has come a long way.

The depth and breadth of cuisine and choices.

The restaurant groups that have started in Charlotte and flourished in Charlotte, the level of service, the level of cocktail program, the level of food sophistication has really been awesome to be a part of and to see as a consumer.

- Jason's story made me hungry, but it also introduced me to a new restaurant that I have not tried, Cajun Queen, before.

And I definitely wanna do that during Restaurant Week.

My question for you is, when did Charlotte become a foodie town?

- You know, it's been happening slowly, but really it's been over the last 20 years or so with not only a big influx of people moving to the area from other regions, and of course that's brought some ethnic diversity.

And for this year's Queen's Feast Restaurant Week, it starts this coming Friday, which is the 17th and goes for 10 days through the following weekend, which is the 28th.

So you got plenty of time from the 17th, or I'm sorry, the 26th.

So from the 17th to the 26th, two weekends there, encompassing both ends.

- Oh, I love trying new places.

Thanks so much for the story.

Well, sounds like it's going to be a tasty 10 days, don't you think?

Well, if you know of any exciting events like this one or people doing incredible things in the community, please share it with us.

Email your ideas to stories@wtvi.org.

That's all we have for tonight.

We're outta time.

We always appreciate your time and look forward to seeing you back here again next time on "Carolina Impact."

Good night, my friends.

(bright music) (bright music continues) - [Announcer] This is a production of PBS Charlotte.