Raleigh church giving homeless teens a temporary home

The number of homeless teenagers has doubled in the last five years, many of them turned away by their families.

Marty Jackson, 18, and Kat Gibbs, 20, are expecting their first child, and they’re homeless.

“Most people, even when you're walking on the streets, they turn up their noses or try not to look at you,” Gibbs said.

The couple said they expected the church to kick them out once leaders learned about the makeshift sleeping place. Instead, they received a surprising reaction.

While some churches and many businesses choose to charge the homeless with trespassing, Petty said the church is struggling to answer a call for help.

Two of the 10 people who have been staying at the church said they had been kicked of their homes after telling their families they were gay.

Jackson – who says he left an abusive situation at home – said the Pullen group, and now the church, has become his new family.

“It’s really moving to see there’s actually people out there that care about helping the homeless,” Jackson said.