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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

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Finding “Good” In A Moment of Need

As a single mother of two, Courtney works full-time, drives ride share, and sells plasma to make ends meet. for herself and her two children. But, sometimes that's not enough.

December 4, 2019

Courtney looks for the good in every situation. On a recent day at Crisis Assistance Ministry, while seeking assistance with an extremely high electric bill, she took a moment to count her blessings.    

She’s thankful to her parents for the risk they took two decades ago, moving the family from a fading Pennsylvania town to up-and-coming Charlotte.  Here, they opened a successful restaurant and provided a stable middle-class lifestyle for Courtney and her siblings. But, when her father passed away, the rest of the family moved back to their Pennsylvania roots.

Smiling female poses for photo
Courtney found help to keep her electricity flowing for herself and her two children.

Left to raise her two children here alone, Courtney still finds grace in the struggle. She appreciates her employer and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that allows her the leeway to care for her 8-year-old son’s special medical needs. Experience has taught her that many employers don’t look kindly on a worker leaving at a moment’s notice after an unexpected phone call from the school, so she chooses to focus on her job’s flexibility over its modest paycheck.

Courtney works hard, but finances are tight. While FMLA allows her flexibility, it doesn’t guarantee paid time off. She earns a little extra by visiting the plasma center twice a week and driving for a ride-share company when she can find someone to babysit the kids. Still, bills often overwhelm her income, especially as the season’s change. She’s grateful to her landlord for the reasonable rent she pays, but the house is poorly insulated. The heating and air conditioning unit seems to run nonstop, and air escapes through the windows and under the doors.

When a $500 electric bill arrived after an especially difficult month, Courtney knew her budget couldn’t stretch that far. So, she found herself at Crisis Assistance Ministry. Thanks to the support of a generous community, a payment directly to her energy provider stopped the disconnection of the family’s electricity.

Courtney is an aspiring cosmetologist.

“Be grateful for what you have,” Courtney reminds us. “But also realize that not everyone is as fortunate as you. And even if they’re doing everything they can, it may not be enough to take care of their families.”

With her crisis averted, Courtney is optimistic about achieving two big dreams. She’s hard at work improving her credit score, with the goal of owning her own home by the end of 2022. And she’s determined to one day attend cosmetology school, so she can help others appreciate beauty as well.

Filed Under: Customer Stories Tagged With: Customer, Electric, Financial Assistance, FMLA, Utility Assistance, Utility Bills

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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Preventing homelessness.
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  • Main Office:
    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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THANKS for all you do to give back in #CLT.

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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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