Charlotte nonprofit to lay off over 100 people, citing lack of new contracts
A nonprofit textile manufacturer in Charlotte that employs and assists the visually impaired is laying off over 100 people.
Lions Services Inc., headquartered in east Charlotte, will be laying off 107 people by July 1, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) report filed on May 1. Such notices are required by federal law during mass layoffs. According to its LinkedIn page, Lions Services employs between 200 and 500 people.
After the completion of a contract, work decreased for the nonprofit, according to the report. And with no “comparable replacement,” layoffs were necessary to maintain operations.
A majority of the workers being laid off were machine operators, assemblers and sewing machine operators.
The nonprofit has experienced layoffs before for a similar reason. In 2022, Lions Services saw a 66% decrease in orders, Spectrum News previously reported. With the decrease, the nonprofit laid of 40 people, although some returned.
It’s unclear if any of the workers in the latest round of layoffs will have the option to be rehired.
Lions Services didn’t immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday.
The layoffs come at what should be a joyous moment for Lions Services.
On May 21, the nonprofit will reveal the Charlotte Braille Trail, a one-mile pathway and interactive art display that will connect the nonprofit’s headquarters at North Tryon Street to the Sugar Creek Light Rail Station. The path lined with tactile guides and Braille signage will also bring users to other spots in NoDa, such as the Independent Picture House.
It’s unclear if the layoffs will delay the opening of the project.
About Lions Services
Lions Services was founded in 1935 by the Charlotte Central Lions Club as the Charlotte Workshop for the Blind. It employed World War I veterans to re-cane chairs.
In 1975, it became a nonprofit that provided training and employment for the visually impaired. Some training includes access to technology to improve digital equity. The nonprofit also offers a stipend to help the visually impaired buy tools to support their independence.
The facility produces Army and Air Force uniforms, helmet bands and Humvee seat cushions.
This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Charlotte nonprofit to lay off over 100 people, citing lack of new contracts."
