Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Losee.
Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Our story starts in 2021 when our family felt the need to do more than just talk about the issues we continued to see in our community. We felt compelled to connect with the unsheltered community. We realized that there are many resources available in Wake County, but the system isn’t perfect and also lacks compassion in many areas. Our goal will always be to lead with compassion. Our first act of service included sharing our left-over Thanksgiving Meal in 2021. It was just my husband and I that year and we had more food than we needed. We knew where there were a few camps, and decided to take the opportunity to meet our neighbors with some delicious turkey and all the fixings. We learned a lot during our first attempt to connect with our community. We learned that compassion really is what people crave, hugs are for everyone, and a smile goes a long way!
Today, we have an amazing volunteer pool of over 50 volunteers, of which about half are active on a monthly basis. We continue to share good food with our neighbors, and have implemented our Compassion Packs Program where we hand out day-to-day necessities throughout the year.
We have realized the importance of connecting with other non-profits who understand and value that working together makes sense but also creates bigger impact. We also work hard to connect with local businesses who see value in giving back to their communities. There are several businesses who have supported our mission from the beginning and we truly appreciate the opportunity to work with them.
Our scary big dream involves building a tiny-home community where we can successfully help create a new foundation for those who experience housing insecurity. Solving homelessness is not just about shelter. The dreams we have for a community would involve a community kitchen and garden area and other commons areas so that our neighbors can learn to thrive together!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been bumpy, but definitely worth it. One of the biggest struggles we noticed right away is the lack of support from other organizations who are ultimately trying to do the same work. Surprisingly, not everyone actually wants to work together. Once you find the organizations who are interested in collaboration, the magic happens!
Funding is another obstacle. We started out using our own funds to get things moving, and were able to research other funding opportunities. We also host our own fundraising events to help bring in revenue. Last year, we partnered with the Durham Bulls with their fundraising program and are able to bring in much needed funding by working concessions during their home games. It’s given our volunteers a new way of giving back and also an additional way for us to meet our community and share our mission with folks we may not otherwise meet. We look forward to baseball season every year now!
Another challenge is that when working with our community, communication is a huge barrier. While some of our neighbors do have cell phones, oftentimes they switch to new phones and numbers due to the challenge of paying the bill. The unsheltered community moves around a lot in Wake County. There is a lack of safety and security living on the streets and they not only struggle with keeping their belongings safe, but they deal with the threat of being moved “out of the way” by law enforcement.
Lastly, most of our volunteers work full-time jobs, including our founders. Finding a balance on how to serve our community while also taking care of family was difficult. It’s still hard sometimes to find the “perfect” balance, but things are getting better as we find new volunteers to join us who are able to take on specific roles.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Roots with Purpose is a grassroots nonprofit organization that serves our unsheltered neighbors in and around Wake County. We are a volunteer-led organization and all funds are used to serve our community. We pride ourselves in leading with compassion, working to understand the journey of each individual we meet, and helping to provide them with reliable resources. Food is how we enjoy connecting the most, and you’ll oftentimes find us serving hot meals as often as we can. We are most proud of the volunteers who work with us. Without them, our organization could not reach the people we do. How are we different? We take a zero-judgement approach and treat everyone we meet with kindness. It’s really that simple. We have realized quickly that the road to homelessness is not cookie-cutter, and neither is the solution.
Currently, our programs include Compassion Packs (our version of a hygiene bag). We setup outreach events on a regular basis and hand these out to our community; and Meals with Purpose, our meal program. We work with several other organizations and work hard to provide quality, hot meals to our neighbors. You’ll see our volunteers at The Women’s Center, Raleigh Dream Center, and more! We are always looking for any opportunity to feed our community!
Earlier this year, our organization was recognized as the Wake Living Best Non-Profit of 2025. We are truly grateful that our community sees and feels our commitment to helping provide services to our most vulnerable neighbors. While we are not here to win awards, it was truly a pivotal moment that helped us realize we are in the right space and while the journey seems slow, we are in forward motion. We are grateful to have the opportunity to serve for years to come!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rootswithpurpose.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootswithpurposenc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rootswithpurpose
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roots-with-purpose
- Other: https://linktr.ee/rootswithpurpose
