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Meet Charlotta Sjoelin of A Lotta Love

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We’d like to introduce you to Charlotta (Lotta) Sjoelin, founder of A Lotta Love, Inc.  She and her team share their story with us below:

Currently, Lotta Sjoelin’s organization, A Lotta Love, serves 20+ homeless shelters & crisis centers across central North Carolina by remaking bedrooms, living areas, kitchens, and other shared spaces to be more welcoming, safe and comforting for the people that need them.  It all began about 8 years ago with just a few pillows at one shelter.

In late 2014, a friend mentioned to Lotta that a local women’s shelter, HomeStart in Chapel Hill, could use some pillows.  Surprised that a shelter would not have such a basic essential, Lotta visited with her donation and found a place very much in need. If a homeless shelter was supposed to be a safe space for transforming lives, she couldn’t see how this physical environment could uplift anyone. Deeply saddened by the living conditions available for the homeless in her hometown, she went home and cried… then got to work!

An interior designer by trade, Lotta had a vision of transforming rooms that would provide safe, dignified, and inspiring living spaces for residents.  She teamed up with Inter-Faith Council (IFC), the non-profit that ran HomeStart, and began asking friends and others to ‘Donate A Room’ by pledging only $500.  From there she found retailers willing to help such as Lowe’s, World Market, IKEA, Sherwin Williams, Eatman’s Carpet & Interiors, and others, and began redoing bedrooms.  Rooms received a fresh coat of paint, new curtains, rugs and small furnishings.  Residents received new linens, children’s items, toiletries, and decor to make them feel welcome in the room. They could also take these items with them as they moved onto a brighter future.

Over time, room makeovers were being done at more & more shelters.  Larger donations for common living rooms, children’s play spaces, gardens, offices, etc. came in, as did a great number of eager volunteers. Community members started helping with time and money — individuals as well as organizations like youth groups, school clubs, church groups and local businesses, Clearly, a movement was afoot… love is a powerful agent of change.

In January 2020, A Lotta Love Inc. became an independent 501c3 nonprofit.  It now includes teams based in Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Charlotte.  Projects have ranged from bedroom makeovers to kitchen remodels to building-wide renovations.  A Lotta Love is not about “making things pretty”.  They address traumas like homelessness and domestic abuse by creating spaces that are safe, dignified, and emotionally-inspired.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Actually, I’m so grateful and humbled by the whole journey with A Lotta Love. The whole experience and how “easy” everything has been. This was never meant to be a nonprofit organization. It all started as a private initiative to do good in my hometown. I’ve been so fortunate to have the right people find me at just the right time!

Early on, I connected with people who are still founding members of the first board and still play a very important role in our organization. Things fall into place as we go along. Always! As of December of 2021, I am no longer the Executive Director of A Lotta Love. Even though I will always be dedicated to ALL and our work, I can now do the things I LOVE to do like makeovers, project managing, and connecting with volunteer groups and donors.  I can spend my time being the creative person I am.

Our new ED, Kelly Hunter, and President Darliene Woolner and I are a good combination for ALL. We all have different skill sets and together with an amazing Executive board and advisory board, we hope to make it even better and hopefully spread further.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A typical homeless shelter room has bare walls & floors, minimal color and institutional linens. Furnishings are usually worn or broken. A Lotta Love brings change!  We use trauma-informed design to address some of the fundamental issues our community’s social service programs deal with every day.

The best way to understand what we do is to see it for yourself: https://youtu.be/vsR4HcGSzKM.

In doing our renovations, we install contemporary furnishings, curtains and decor, plus a bright coat of paint. These small changes address the most basic human needs of comfort and a sense of place. Simple things like a soft pillow, comfy chair, or cheery artwork help residents and employees feel like they belong to a safe, welcoming community. They are also motivated to move forward and reach ahead.

With our foundation in interior design, A Lotta Love is keenly aware that the physical environment directly affects emotional and mental health. A good night’s rest in a space that feels secure and calming is a fundamental starting point for recovering from trauma.  An environment that is organized and welcoming also helps staff feel better as they do their work.

Another thing that sets us apart is our volunteers.  A Lotta Love is an all-volunteer organization that galvanizes people young and old from individual families as well as youth groups, service organizations and local businesses. We leverage their time and resources, including donations of local goods and professional services. Our volunteer board members include professionals in design, retail housing supplies, psychology, banking, and grant writing.  Our volunteers consistently report finding a deep sense of personal fulfillment indirectly contributing to the transformation of shelter spaces and the lives within them.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Please find us on Facebook or Instagram for hundreds of before & after photos and videos .  Visit our webpage to donate or volunteer.

Any donation amount helps build our community and services.  A Room Makeover Donation of $600 is a true gift of change for a new family entering one of the shelters we serve.  Larger donations go towards renovating and furnishing shared spaces — contact us directly to become a private or corporate sponsor.

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