Cover the City Project is covering the homeless with love, care and warmth

College students at High Point University get the luxury of having a beautiful school as their home for four or even five years. Outside of these gates is a different story for individuals who don’t have this guarantee. 

 

All you have to do is drive down the road and it's like the world has changed. We are sheltered and safe behind the gates of HPU. We have no fear of where we are going to sleep or if we are going to have a meal. 

 

Amanda Anderson, founder of Cover the City Project, noticed there are many people in the city of High Point that have to worry about these things daily. 

 

Back in 2013 Anderson bought blankets and coats to a homeless man who was sleeping by the High Point Krispy Kreme. This was an eye opening experience and she realized this man was just one of the many homeless people around the High Point area who were struggling. 

 

The next day Anderson drove by the spot where the man was set up and noticed everything was gone. All of the things Anderson gave him and even the bench he was sleeping on was all gone like he had never been there.

 

According to a Point in Time study (PIT) done in 2020 there were a total of 624 homeless people in the High Point/Greensboro area and only 58% of High Point residents are homeowners. 

 

It was after this man that Anderson really wanted to start an organization to help the homeless year round. That's when she started Cover the City Project. Anderson first partnered with her friend Leslie Graham at Open Door Ministries and began to distribute necessities during the colder months out to the homeless people of High Point. 

 

The start of Cover the City Project wasn't as hard as Anderson might have anticipated. “No, it wasn't hard. I had an idea, social media and lots of friends who supported me… then it became something that people wanted to donate to financially so yes going through the process of all the legal documents was long and tedious but I had a great lawyer help me.” 

 

Cover the City Project quickly turned into something bigger than just Anderson and she needed volunteers and friends to help. Soon enough Cover the City Project was expanding into different cities in North Carolina. 

 

“I have friends all over the country from college and other world experiences. When they saw what we were doing, they saw the need in their cities and asked if they could jump on board and start a chapter in their area” says Anderson. 
 

Currently there are locations in Charlotte, Burlington, Asheboro and even all the way up in Rochester, NY. This is only a fraction of places where Cover the City Project is thriving. 

 

When I asked Anderson how she was able to get the word around so fast and so far she said she had utilized social media and friends to help get people involved. “We are heavy on social media and I spent a lot of time talking to civic groups, churches, schools and anyone who wants to learn more. Fox8 has been a large partner of ours and helping us spread the word about the needs in our community.” 

 

Sometimes the act of giving out supplies can be a little dangerous. A wide population of homeless people suffer from mental illnesses so it's always good to be careful when approaching someone. Anderson notes that even though it can be scary at times the feeling of helping someone in dire need is always worth the small inkling of fear. 

 

Anderson couldn’t have ever imagined the impact Cover the City Project has had on individuals. She is always looking for volunteers or for anyone who is interested in holding a blanket drive or sock drive. For safety reasons Anderson can't host events directly with other organizations but Cover the City Project is always open to donations. 

 

Anderson says the feeling is like no other when she gets to help the people around her. “ I am blessed that we are still able to assist those most vulnerable in our communities. This is a humbling experience and I challenge everyone to just make a difference!” 

 

Cover the City Project has made an immense difference in supplying homeless people with the things they need in order to get through the winter months. Even though they focus mostly on blankets and jackets the organization is constantly giving out other supplies for the warmer months as well. 

 

Cover the City Project’s website ends their story with this line, “ Our mission is to cover cities literally and physically with warmth and love.” This sums up everything this organization is aiming towards and just how much they want to help those who are struggling.