Walter and his furniture-construction partner, Nick, have lost count. They’ve been deep into Ikea instructions, constructing drawers, adding liner paper, and hauling dressers to sit with the others that volunteers from True Homes have made.
Was it five dressers they constructed? Six? They can’t recall. But 22 newly constructed dressers and 24 tables were added to Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Furniture & Appliance inventory.
46 pieces of furniture, 3,000 hygiene kits, and so many no-sew blankets. The blankets and hygiene kits will be added to the Free Store, where customers shop for essentials free of charge. The furniture will find a new home with Partner Agency-referred customers who may be transitioning into a new place to live after experiencing a time of homelessness or other financial hardship. It, too, is provided free of charge.
It sounds like a lot, although “a lot” is subjective, particularly when need is great. The super-soft blankets are favorites with children. They quickly get scooped from the Free Store. Hygiene kits are in vast demand with customers of all ages. Need across the board has been higher this year.
The newly constructed furniture that Walter (left), Nick, and other volunteers make will find new homes with Partner Agency-referred customers who may be transitioning into a new permanent housing after experiencing a time of homelessness or other financial hardship.
The needs of the community and the importance of volunteering are high on True Homes’ list of values, Nick says. “It’s built into the culture, the DNA,” he says. And while True Homes encourages all to volunteer as they can, he says there’s something different about volunteering alone versus volunteering with your colleagues.
“The folks here probably went into work early,” Nick says, “and when we leave here, they’ll work some this afternoon and evening, to make sure the business side is taken care of. But it’s important to them to be a part of the community.”
It makes you feel good to volunteer, he adds, but it also helps you understand the importance of a few hours of time.
“You’re helping somebody who’s having probably the worst crisis of their lives, at no fault of their own,” Nick says.
One paycheck from disaster
Throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg, and the entire country, most people live one paycheck from financial disaster.
According to CNBC and a September 2022 collaborative report between Pymnts and LendingClub, “63% of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck.” This is close to the historic high of 64% in March. A year ago, LendingClub reports, “the number of adults who felt strained was closer to 57%.”
Weak wage growth, says Anuj Nayar, financial health officer for LendingClub, has hurt the average American consumer so much that having a job simply isn’t enough.
“Wage growth has been inadequate, leaving more consumers than ever with little to nothing left over after managing monthly expenses,” Nayar said in the CNBC story.
Weak wage growth, says Anuj Nayar, financial health officer for LendingClub, has hurt the average American consumer so much that having a job simply isn’t enough.
Fifty-nine percent of consumers who are living paycheck-to-paycheck and having issues with their monthly bills said they have seen “significant rises” in the cost of utilities over a 12-month period. Almost half – 48% – of consumers who are struggling to pay their bills also must pay for health insurance. Inflation has pushed the average grocery bill up 11%. The average retail cost of gasoline is $3.504, according to numbers from the YCharts investment and analytics blog. While this is lower than the June high of $5.107, it still is 0.75% higher than a year ago, YCharts shows.
Volunteers’ assistance behind the scenes means the Crisis Assistance Ministry staff can focus more of their time on serving customers directly.
Blankets go quickly
Volunteers like Hope and her dad, Jeff, often return. The two of them, along with one of Hope’s children, made 15 no-sew blankets just before Thanksgiving. The blankets have already been claimed, so today, Hope and Jeff have found a quiet corner to work on more.
Hope and her dad, Jeff, fold one of the six no-sew blankets that they made while volunteering with other True Homes employees.
They have a system. Jeff’s a retired cabinetmaker, and he uses his precision skills to cut the strips for the blankets. He does this with great patience. Hope ties them.
Most years, Hope says, she brings her kids with her to volunteer. But after Jeff came with them at Thanksgiving, he was happy to come again with the larger group.
“I like hanging out with my daughter,” he says.
Plus, Hope says: “It’s fun. Good times spent with good people. For a good cause.”
They’ve got a system, but Hope has a goal.
“We’re making 15 [blankets] again today,” she says, and she glances at her dad.
He laughs.