Spotlight: The Carying Place

​About The Carying Place

The Carying Place serves working homeless families with children who are experiencing homelessness by teaching life skills for attaining independent living while providing short-term housing and support services to address their individual needs.

The Carying Place (TCP) began operations in May 1993 as part of Christian Community in Action (CCA). TCP was incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in 1998 with its own Board of Directors.

In the past 25 years, TCP has served over 450 families. About 85% of families who graduate from TCP are living independently and gainfully employed at least a year after completing the program. Currently, the program supports 9 families at a time. Families live in apartments leased by TCP in an environment similar to permanent housing except rent and utilities are paid by TCP.

As a non-profit transitional housing program in Wake County, TCP supports families in their journey to independence and self-sufficiency. This is achieved through the mentoring and guidance of Support Partners and Caring Sponsors. Families are paired with a volunteer team of Support Partners and Caring Sponsors that provide weekly guidance in managing personal finances, setting attainable goals, seeking permanent affordable housing and maintaining a job. Over a 16-week period, these families learn about the skills required for self-sufficiency through mandatory once-a-week meeting with Support Partners at a local church.

Leslie Covington joined The Carying Place as Executive Director in 2015. Leslie obtained her Social Work degree at North Carolina State University and further developed a love for outreach through her local church. Inspired with empowering at-risk and low income families, she continued her experience through her service as a Youth Director, Director of Outreach and Senior Youth Director for the YMCA of the Triangle. Leslie soon felt the need “to go deeper” with serving families and returned to NCSU for her Master of Social Work degree where she focused on mental health, clinical social work and substance abuse counseling. At this time in her life, Leslie strives to use her passion as well as her non-profit and mental health experience to lead and inspire others to achieve financial stability. When speaking of her appointment to the Carying Place, Leslie shared “I’m inspired by the legacy of such a great organization. We are breaking the cycle of poverty that plagues many families in the capital area – there is no better life mission than that!”.