Behind The Mission: Jessie Harris

When it comes to Jessie Harris’ impact on our SHC neighbors, he has a not-so-secret superpower at his disposal, which is his ability to relate to those living unsheltered and afraid. His earliest childhood memories are of sleeping in cars with his mom and two siblings or even on park benches from ages (3 to 6). Because of continued instability, by age 11, Jessie left home to be on his own and landed in foster care, until he aged out at 17.

During his childhood, he witnessed drug dealing, addiction, and violent acts. “There is nothing that I can ever forget,” he says, but he knows that everything that he experienced was meant for him to help others.

By age 14, while in foster care, he began to get his footing for what would later be his calling—advocating for those in need. As a co-founder of the LA Chapter of the California Youth Connection, he successfully lobbied for youth in foster care to have the right to access and manage their basic essentials (food, clothing, etc.).

Jessie has been with the SHC Family for 8 years and was recently promoted to Manager of Program Services. Our mission is very close to Jessie’s heart. In his role, he is leading and providing support to the team that is out in the field every day providing case management and support to both our unhoused and/or recently unhoused neighbors in the Charlotte community.