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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

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Good Summer Fun to Celebrate Saving Home

With a few precious weeks of summer left, it's time to get out there and celebrate summer with this list of inexpensive summer adventures close to home—some even in your own backyard. Bonus: since they won't break the bank, you'll have a little left to #savehome for more families during #CLTSavesHome, our Non-Event fundraiser, by August 31.

August 5, 2022

The first in a two-part series

After a couple of summers of lockdowns and crowd caution, some of us are hitting the highways and airways for fresh adventures. All good things. But we can’t forget that thousands of people in our community are struggling to make ends meet and save their homes. Summer or winter, Crisis Assistance Ministry is here for them—with your help.  

You might have heard, Crisis Assistance Ministry isn’t hosting a fancy gala this summer. Instead, you are invited to make a direct contribution to provide essentials like emergency financial assistance, clothing and household goods, furniture, and a bed to sleep on for struggling families right here in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.  

When you do, you get to celebrate saving home for thousands in this community.  

And then: get on with your summer.

With only a few weeks left in summer, here’s part one of our list of free or budget-friendly activities—some of which are literally in your backyard—that can be fun for the whole family. (Watch for part two next week.)

Watch the fireflies: When the heat and humidity hit that sweet spot, the fireflies in the Queen City do their thing. Simply walk outside in the evening. If you’d like to view them in a darker space, head west just over the S.C. border into Kings Mountain, and then linger as the sun sets.  Park entry is $3 for adults, $1.50 for seniors, and $1 for the kids, and the park is open until 9 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time. (Bonus: going early on a clear day can reward you with an amazing view of the Charlotte skyline).  

Splash around: Cooling off in one of Mecklenburg’s splash parks can be a fun way for kids and the kids-at-heart among us to spend a long day or an evening after work. Try out one of these parks, which are free to the public. Or if possible, drag a sprinkler to your front yard. Your grass will love it, too. 

Look skyward: Two meteor showers and a Supermoon are on the books for August.

Look up: Charlotte is known for its tree canopy, but if you have a space with a clear view of the sky and not much light pollution, you might enjoy an evening of stargazing. There have been several stellar (no pun intended) events this summer, including a planetary alignment and a Strawberry Moon. You haven’t, however, missed the sky show. Through August 23, the Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower will produce about 20 meteors hourly, according to Astronomy.com. The Night Sky app can help you with constellations and such.  

Keep looking up: Take in the Perseid Meteor Shower, inarguably one of the best showers to observe with about 60 meteors per hours. This shower ends August 24, with peak viewing on August 12 and the morning of August 13. You’ll need to locate a dark spot for this one due to the Supermoon on August 12.

Speaking of the Supermoon … on August 12, the third and last super moon of the year will occur. Early Indigenous peoples who lived along Lake Michigan called this the Sturgeon Moon because it’s prime time to catch sturgeon fish. During a Supermoon, the moon is a bit closer to earth, which makes it appear larger.  

Reading is fundamental. Do the kids have a summer reading list? No? Make one. Start a family book club and visit the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library or ImaginOn. One library branch might be in biking or walking distance from your home, so there are your steps for the day. Check out this list (see what we did there?) for summer reads that are by local and North Carolina writers.  

Visit a drive-in theater. Or create your own. Popcorn is optional.

Visit the drive-in: Who remembers the experience of drive-in theaters? There still is one in the area: Hound’s Drive-In, which is in Gastonia. It features first-run flicks, on-site concessions, and 26 bathrooms. You must be inside and parked by 8 p.m. Movies are $20 for a carload. How many people to count as a carload is on you.  

But if you have a garage door, a projector, and some protected drive space, you can create your own drive-in or bring-your-own-chair theater. Invite the neighbors. Or not. 😉 

Sneak in the exercise. With hundreds of miles of paved and natural-path trails, the Mecklenburg County Greenway System screams summer. Walk them, bike them, rollerblade them, skateboard them. They’re free, and easily accessible for an hour, or a whole afternoon. 

Prepare for your fall harvest by planting carrots, turnips, and other root veggies.

Can ya dig it? Yes, it’s a lyric from “Shaft,” and no, we couldn’t resist. Despite the summer heat, you can dig around in the yard (or in containers) and prepare for your fall harvest. Carolina Farm Stewards suggests planting root veggies such as carrots, turnips, beets and rutabagas. It’s also a good time of year to sow parsnips, squash, Swiss chard, kohlrabi (we had to Google this, also), and late-summer cukes. If you can, find tomato transplants, and extend the tomato sandwich season. Container and/or in-ground gardening is good for your mental health, so along with reducing your grocery bill, this is a double score. 

Clean your closet: Did the kids outgrow their school uniforms? If they are still in good contion, bring them to our convenient Donation Drive-Thru, and we will add them to our Free Store. Optional cut, Your generosity will help other Charlotte families provide uniforms for their young ones.  

With a precious few weeks of summer left, get out there and use some of these suggestions or come up with your own ideas. Let Crisis Assistance Ministry know what you’re doing! Hashtag us at #CLTsaveshome, #savehome, or tag @crisisassistmin on IG or Twitter. 

And since these adventures won’t break the bank, you’ll have a little left to help more families #savehome with a gift during #CLTSavesHome, our Non-Event fundraiser, by August 31.

Help #SaveHome with a Gift Today

Filed Under: Agency News, Campaign Tagged With: #CLTSavesHome, #NonEvent2022, #PreserveDignity, #SaveHome

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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Preventing homelessness.
Preserving dignity.
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  • Main Office:
    500-A Spratt St.
    Charlotte, NC 28206
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Recent Photos

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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.

crisisassistmin

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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

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

crisisassistmin

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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

crisisassistmin

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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.

crisisassistmin

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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.

crisisassistmin

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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.

crisisassistmin

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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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