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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

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Financial Help is Music to Darneal’s Ears

Darneal is a hard-working musician helping to support his girlfriend and her school-age children. When summer brought a drop in income for her teaching assistance job, he swallowed his pride and sought help to avoid eviction and restore disconnected utilities for their family.

September 23, 2019

Darneal is a musician from New York who began playing the drums at two years old. He added violin and trombone through school band opportunities and took up piano at age 14 and bass at 16.

Three years ago, he moved to Charlotte looking for better musical opportunities.  He’s made a home with his girlfriend, who is a teacher’s assistant, and her two daughters (ages 9 and 10). He works as the drummer in a church and picking up gigs where he can.

But life for Darneal isn’t always as smooth as jazz.  Summer hit the family hard with lower pay for her and fewer gigs for him.

“Summer school employees are paid differently than those working during the school year,” Darneal said as he explained the disparity of their summer income. “And people assume musicians make a lot of money, so they don’t tip.  It’s kind of like working as a server; you live off tips.”

With rent overdue and their power disconnected, Darneal considered “roughing it out” until his next paycheck.  But with his girlfriend and the two young girls living with him, he swallowed his pride and sought help at Crisis Assistance Ministry. 

After a caseworker carefully listened to his story, an emergency payment directly to his landlord prevented eviction and a second payment directly to the utility company restored their electricity. Darneal was relieved to be able to go home to a well-lit, cool house and hang out with his “baby girls.”

“Thank you,” Darneal says, “Not just from us, but from everyone you’ve helped.”

Filed Under: Customer Stories Tagged With: Customer, Housing, Rent Assistance, Utility Assistance, Utility Bills

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  • 500-A Spratt St.
    Charlotte, NC 28206
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What a happy accident. @kwballantyne and @Southpark both signed up to spend #RedDay here and didn’t even know it! They had such a great time serving the community listening to great music and banding together to get the Free Store in tip-top shape. 
Keller Williams was so enthusiastic about helping community members overcome long-term financial instability for their families, they stayed an extra hour before their lunch and had another crew from Southpark serve at 1pm! 👏🏽

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Now, if you’ve been meaning to get involved but haven’t yet, or maybe you donated a while back? 🤔 Good news! This wave of generosity means your gifts will now be doubled through June 1st! Consider it a little nudge – a chance to double your dollars and make a real difference for folks right here in our community.

And hey, if you’re new to the party and looking for a way to actually see your money doing good? 🌱 This is it. Every donation until June 1st gets matched. Let’s not let this momentum fade – we hope to finish strong, like we always do. 💪 Head over to the usual place to make a direct donation.

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Happy Mother's Day to all the resilient mothers out there! Let's show them some love today. Double-tap if you agree! 👇

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This is what it looks like when you leave it all on the field! 📢 What more can we say? @davidsonwildcat just showed what it means to play for something bigger than yourselves! They ran a full press on a month-long donation drive across their campus, and collected a truckload of items for neighbors who shop here, free of charge, for essentials. Shout-out to @c_kochera and the Davidson Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Let's take this energy and continue to champion our customers with the dignity they deserve! 💪 #CrisisAssisMin #DavidsonCollegeAthletics #GoCats #AthleticsDoneRight

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This week, we're showering our incredible educators with appreciation! 🎉 From classroom teachers to supportive parents, dedicated bus drivers, caring counselors, and everyone in between. Thank you for inspiring, guiding, and shaping the future. We "apple-solutely" value all you do! ❤️ #EducationAppreciation #ThankATeacher #TeacherAppreciationWeek

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Ever wonder about the name Conor? 🤔 Our amazing Benefits Access Volunteer, Conor (spelled the Irish way with one “N”!), shared his inspiring journey to Crisis Assistance Ministry and how he empowers our neighbors. But there’s extra magic when Conor invites you to join in a matching Challenge! Between now and May 15th, every donation is DOUBLED thanks to a 100% match! Imagine the impact! If you’re ready to make your generosity go twice as far? Click the link in bio or CC for details, and let’s rise to Conor’s challenge together! Time’s ticking – May 15th will be here before you know it! 😉 crisisassistance.org/donate/social/ (see stories to click directly)

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Happy International Dance Day!
Throwing it back (in more ways than one) to this holiday 2024 moment of joy featuring Crisis Assistance Ministry staff and community members who have overcome difficulties to create long-term financial stability for their families.

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