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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

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Monthly Mythbusters: Who Is Affected By Housing & Poverty?

Discussions of poverty and its impact in Charlotte-Mecklenburg often uncover a few myths and misconceptions about who is affected, how they are affected, and how the needs of struggling neighbors are (or are not) met equitably.

October 17, 2019

Discussions of poverty and its impact in Charlotte-Mecklenburg often uncover a few myths and misconceptions about who is affected, how they are affected, and how the needs of struggling neighbors are (or are not) met equitably.

Crisis Assistance Ministry is committed to educating and empowering the community to advocate for low-income families. Each month, we compile relevant topics that show up in social media and community discussions.

True or False: Affordable housing is a low-income issue.

False.

Charlotte’s rapidly rising rents and stagnant wages1 mean that people at all income levels can struggle to find affordable housing here. 

 In fact, 44% of renters in Mecklenburg County are cost-burdened2, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities.  

Consider this:  The yearly area median income (AMI) for our region is $51,900 for an individual3. In order to live in affordable housing, the average Charlotte earner can afford a monthly maximum of $1,297. With Charlotte’s average monthly rent of $1,1424 only $122 remains for utilities before housing becomes unaffordable.

1 “This Report Shows Why So Many People Struggle to Afford Housing in Charlotte”, Charlotte Observer, June 5, 2018
2 2019 State of Housing Instability & Homelessness Report, September 2019
3 2018 Median Family Income for the Metropolitan Statistical Area: Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill
4 “Rent in Charlotte Has Hit a New High.  Here’s the average, and Where it Costs the Most”, Charlotte Observer, March 13, 2018

True or False: Hispanics experience poverty at a higher rate than any other ethnic group.

False.

Native Americans have the nation’s highest poverty rate at 25.4%. 

Poverty by Ethnicity, Poverty USA, 2018.

How is poverty officially measured in the United States?

It starts with the cost of food.

While it may not seem logical, the official poverty measure in the United States is a threshold based on the amount of money needed to buy the lowest-cost nutritionally adequate diet for the family size and multiplying that number by 3.

The Supplemental Poverty Measure, an alternative measure designed to address limitations in the traditional method, has been tracked by the federal government since 2011. It considers the amount of money needed to provide basic housing, clothing, food, and utilities, adjusted by the consumer price index, and accounting for the number of people in the family.

But the nation’s poverty rate continues to be determined by the official poverty measure. Want to know more? Check out the Census Bureau’s blog, What is the Supplemental Poverty Measure and How Does it Differ from the Official Measure?

Filed Under: Advocacy Tagged With: Affordable Housing, Community, Housing, Mythbusters, Poverty, Poverty USA, Supplemental Poverty Measure

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Crisis Assistance Ministry

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    500-A Spratt St.
    Charlotte, NC 28206
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What's in your closet that could help out a neighbor in the warmer months? 
Spring has sprung here in the Queen City. That means the needs of families shopping, free of charge, at @CrisisAssistMin are changing too. 
You can help meet their needs with donations of new or gently used clothing, shoes, or household goods or by signing up as a volunteer to help receive, inspect, and prepare donations for shoppers.

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What do you do when you miss out on the big dance? 
Well, these Charlotte area #Tarheels pitched in to unload a truckload of donated goods and prepare them for families who shop free of charge in the Free Store. Thanks to these @charlottecarolinaclub #volunteers, it's always a #GDTBATH! 
THANKS for all you do to give back in #CLT.

crisisassistmin

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Happy St Patrick's Day!  This big ole batch of 400+ granola bars will provide a little bit of sustenance to waiting families thanks to @MeckKidz from @meckchurch. Youth used "Meck Bucks" earned for participation in activities to purchase bars for the snack ministry here @CrisisAssistMin

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We loved hosting these visiting Bisons from @howard1867 as they lived out their motto of Excellence in Truth & Service here in #CLT. Thanks to them families will find essentials, free of charge, here in the @CrisisAssistMin Free Store. #volunteers

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Happy International Women's Day!
Today we take a look at how this year's theme of Embrace Equity affects the people (and mostly the women) served here at Crisis Assistance Ministry every day.

Observed worldwide on March 8 as a celebration of “the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women,” International Women’s Day is also a global call to action for accelerating women’s equality.

The theme for this year’s observance is “Embrace Equity.” Organizers at International Women’s Day (IWD) encourage everyone to “Imagine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated.” 

While great strides in gender equality have been achieved since women gained the right to vote in 1920, there is still much work ahead. Consider these indicators of the gender gap in the United States:
- Women full-time workers earn, on average, 82 cents for every dollar earned by men
- American women earn less than men in all industries, with the most significant pay gaps in management positions
- The construction industry has the smallest gender pay gap, but only 9% of construction workers are women
- Unpaid work like housekeeping and caring for children falls mainly to women 

Read More at the link in our bio

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The theme for Black History Month 2023 is “Resistance”, a single word that encompasses so much. Through the centuries, a long line of brave and committed Black Americans have battled injustice, some on the public stage and others behind the scenes. But for every high-profile or large-scale act of resistance, countless others go unnoticed. Every day at @CrisisAssistMin, we see brave and committed Black Charlotteans struggling to resist the forces of an unjust society right here in Mecklenburg County.
Read "Black History Month: Resisting the Status Quo" at the link in our profile.

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It was a beautiful weekend to share (more than) @onewarmcoat with our neighbors! Our friends from One Warm Coat finished up their working retreat by distributing brand new coats to families right here in our parking lot. So many smiles, a few tears of relief, and a lot of runway spins were shared.

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We 💙 💙 💙 it when community members create their own "Army" to celebrate birthdays and other milestones in each others' lives. Thanks to these #volunteers from "Eric's Army," shoppers this week found essentials like clothing, shoes, and household goods free of charge. Together, we #preservedignity for #CLT families who are struggling financially.

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We're excited to have @QCfamilytree share their expertise as our staff digs into the impact of systemic racism here in Mecklenburg County and its impact on the people served here. Thanks Greg, Helms, & Shamaiye for taking time to help us begin these important conversations.

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