About

Meet Our Board of Directors 

Marilee Rose-Founder and President

Marilee is a founding member and president of The North Carolina Community of Hearts and Homes (NCCHH), a ministry whose vision is to provide a community where those experiencing chronic homelessness thrive.  Previous work at the University of Pittsburgh and the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine gave the opportunity to interact with individuals from many different back grounds and work with many species of animals.  Work with a nonprofit cat rescue and spay/neuter clinic was eye opening as to the plight of the homeless in the animal world.  After working through some personal setbacks in 2009-2010 and coming close to being homeless  Marilee started to volunteer with HOPE Ministries at Garner United Methodist church helping brothers and sisters experiencing homelessness in the Raleigh and Garner area.  It was early in 2014 that God called Marilee to do more help those experiencing homelessness both human and animal.

In 2014 while helping a homeless man, Joseph, who had a cat living in a tent with him, a friend and co founder of NCCHH, Leslie DuBose, in a brain storming session as to how to keep them safe brought up the tiny home movement.  It was at this time when doing research that the model of community was discovered.  Following a very successful model in Austin Texas called Community First! Village which took the “Housing First” model a step further to “Community First”, this model aligned with what Marilee wanted to do for the homeless in North Carolina with NCCHH and the idea of a community here in North Carolina was formed.

In 2017 a cold case of a woman who happened to be homeless, found murdered in Raleigh, NC in 2009 was in the news.  After reaching out to the detective it was confirmed that this woman was a former coworker of Marilee’s in Pittsburgh, PA.  This former coworker once a nurse, someone who volunteered in soup kitchens, who was a research technician also suffered from mental health issues and somehow ended up homeless in the streets of Raleigh several states away from her home.  This strengthened Marilee’s resolve to help our brothers and sisters who have found themselves without a home, without a safety net and without a community.

With degrees in commercial art and animal health, Marilee has seen how these areas as well as music have helped reduce stress.  Arts and crafts, music and animals will be front and center as the master planned community, North Carolina Community of Hearts and Homes evolves.

Marilee is surrounded by her fur kids, 6 inside cats and 6 outside community cats all homeless at one time or another but being a family now. She continues to listen to the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s will, taking care of God’s children.

Bryant Windham-Vice President

Patti Cravotta-Treasurer