Stability Starts Here
Mission & Vision
The mission of Crisis Assistance Ministry is to provide assistance and advocacy for people in financial crisis, helping them move toward self-sufficiency.
Our vision is to inspire our community to justice and generosity as we provide help, hope, and understanding to people struggling with limited financial resources.
By the Numbers
for fiscal year ending June 30, 2024
Children Benefiting from Our Services
Children under 18 made up 41.2% of those benefiting from Crisis Assistance Ministry services.
VITA Free Tax Prep Meck
Free Tax Prep Meck is back. IRS-Certified tax preparation at no cost to qualifying individuals.
Crisis Assistance Ministry Names Matthew Sharp Chief Housing Stability Officer
Crisis Assistance Ministry is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Sharp as Chief Housing Stability Officer (CHSO). Sharp brings more than 19 years of senior leadership experience across the nonprofit and higher education sectors to this critical executive role. As CHSO, Sharp will lead the agency’s Housing Stability Services division, overseeing emergency financial assistance […]
“Toys from Thomas” Comes to Crisis Assistance Ministry
Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Taylor Moton and his family bring Toys from Thomas to life for families working hard toward financial stability.
Warm Hearts, Warm Smiles For More Than 20 Years
More than two decades ago, then WSOC Meteorologist Steve Udelson saw a need and rallied the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community to solve it. That first year, viewers donated about 3,000 coats for people served by Crisis Assistance Ministry. By the time Steve retired, the annual collection was averaging more than 30,000 coats. All told, Steve’s Coats is […]
Charlotte Means Business: Local Companies Give Time and Dollars to Preserve Dignity
With some of the largest companies in America headquartered in the Charlotte Region, it is no surprise that local businesses enhance Crisis Assistance Ministry’s ability to serve Mecklenburg County. From thousands of volunteer hours to clothing and household good donations to sizeable financial gifts, Charlotte companies provide critical support to Crisis Assistance Ministry operations. Over […]
Stronger Together: How Our Partner Agency Network Amplifies Impact
Every day in Mecklenburg County, families face unexpected crises – a job loss, a medical emergency, or a sudden rent increase – that threaten to upend their stability. When that happens, no one should have to face those challenges alone. That belief drives Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Partner Agency Network, a collaboration of organizations working together to ensure help arrives […]
The 50-Year Legacy of the Free Store
What if every shirt, every pair of pants, and every warm coat had a story to tell? Not just the journey it took from one home to a donation bin, but the story of the family who received it, the hope it brought, and the crisis it helped avert. In the heart of Charlotte, there’s […]
Behind the Scenes: How Your Uniform Donations Reach Families
Every uniform tells a story. That tiny pair of navy blue pants? Donated by a family whose youngest just started middle school. The stack of red polos? Shipped from a kind stranger through our Amazon Wish List. Each item has a journey—and at Crisis Assistance Ministry, it’s our job to make sure those journeys end […]
Confidence: Why School Uniforms Matter
There’s something powerful about the first day of school: the anticipation, the nerves, the clean slate. But for too many students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, that moment of possibility is clouded by something as simple as what they’re wearing. More than 40 public schools in the Charlotte area require uniforms: solid color polos, khakis, sweaters, socks. […]
50 Stories for 50 Years
For 50 years, this community has come together here to offer help, hope, and understanding to Mecklenburg County neighbors in need of housing stability. In honor of this milestone year, we are sharing 50 stories of Crisis Assistance Ministry throughout the year. Here’s a recap so far:
Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes: Lessons from a Poverty Simulation
BY ISHA MISHRA Most Americans can’t cover a $400 emergency. Recently, we learned exactly why—and what living with that pressure really feels like. This past week, I was one of five Bank of America Student Leaders at Crisis Assistance Ministry to participate in a “poverty simulation,” an experience designed to challenge how we think about […]
Biby To Lead Advancement at Crisis Assistance Ministry
Crisis Assistance Ministry is proud to announce the promotion of Shelly Biby to Chief Advancement Officer (CAO). With two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and strategic communications, Biby brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to community impact to her new role. Since joining Crisis Assistance Ministry in 2024 as Director of […]