Engaging Community
In a vibrant city like Charlotte, it’s easy to overlook the fact that many are suffering amid affluence. Our community engagement efforts increase awareness of the complex issues facing low-wage earners in our communities. Our network of partner agencies extends our services into neighborhoods throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
Even families whose income is twice the Federal Poverty Level struggle to afford safe housing, reliable transportation, child care, utilities, food, and other necessities. An unexpected event such as an illness or job loss can send an accomplished person into a downward financial spiral.
More than 100,000 of our neighbors live in poverty.
Empowering Advocates
Our Customer Advocate initiative engages and empowers the community to be advocates for people struggling with limited financial resources by:
- Increasing awareness of the complex issues that make it challenging for some neighbors to make ends meet
- Encouraging community dialogue and participation in removing barriers to financial security
- Changing attitudes and policies that create barriers to economic mobility
The most powerful advocates are customers themselves. We provide training to highly motivated individuals interested in sharing their story and effecting positive change for our entire community.
Educating the Community
Since 2008, Crisis Assistance Ministry has been the local lead facilitator of the Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS), a two-hour interactive, immersive experience designed to create awareness among participants of life at the bottom rung of the economic ladder. The simulation presents participants with real-life scenarios and challenges faced by people living in poverty and is immediately followed by a group debrief, during which participants reflect on the experience, discuss insights, and consider next steps.
Housing Instability Deepens in Mecklenburg County
The newly released 2024 State of Housing Instability and Homelessness (SoHIH) report paints a stark picture of the deepening housing crisis in Mecklenburg County, underscoring the urgent need for intervention and support. The report, produced by Mecklenburg County Community Support Services, reveals alarming trends in cost burden, evictions, and homelessness, and warrants immediate action from policymakers, community organizations, and individuals.
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MLK Day 2025: Upholding the Dream
MLK Day invites us to consider how we can contribute to creating communities founded on love, compassion, and understanding. For nearly 50 years, we at Crisis Assistance Ministry have been working on the front line to do just that by providing help, hope, and understanding to people struggling with limited financial resources.
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Another Giving Tuesday in the Books
This year’s Giving Tuesday changed lives. We are happy to announce that this is Crisis Assistance Ministry’s second successful year participating in Charlotte’s Giving Tuesday. Crisis Assistance Ministry’s team divided and conquered by simultaneously attending the SHARE Charlotte’s Headquarters Giving Tuesday’s interactive rally for nonprofits and The Greater Charlotte Apartment Association’s Giving Tuesday event where […]
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Unleash the Power of Generosity
This year, we are thrilled to be part of another Giving Tuesday, powered by SHARE Charlotte. Giving Tuesday is a vital initiative to support our community’s most vulnerable members. Although we are seeking financial donations to provide essential resources like clothing, housing stability, and assistance, we’re more prominently calling on volunteers to join us.
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Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrating Cultures and Contributions
It’s Hispanic Heritage Month! This annual celebration of the cultures and contributions of Americans who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, runs from September 15 through October 15.
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Bridging the Gap: Addressing Poverty’s Role in Shaping Education
Education and poverty are intertwined, much like the “chicken and egg” dilemma. Investigating how the quality and accessibility of education can either reinforce or break the ongoing cycles of poverty underscores the critical role that education plays in either trapping individuals in poverty or providing them with the tools to escape it. This perspective is crucial in understanding the real-world implications of these cycles and the potential power of education as a transformative force.
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Charlotte’s Six-Figure Salary Requirement
Charlotte, North Carolina, has become a place where a comfortable life requires a six-figure salary, according to a recent study from SmartAsset. The study’s authors used a 50/30/20 model for their calculations, in which no more than 50% of a household’s income is allocated for essentials such as housing, transportation, and groceries, 30% for “fun” things such as hobbies and entertainment, and 20% for savings, investments, and paying off debt.
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The Injustice of Menstrual Stigma Is Multiplied by Poverty
Period poverty. It’s not a topic normally raised during economic equity discussions, but that doesn’t make it any less relevant. For half the world’s population, menstruation is a biological reality that brings added expenses and, all too often, unwarranted stigma.
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Reflections on Black History Month 2024: Artists, Trailblazers, and the Racial Wealth Divide
Black History Month serves as a reminder of the resilience, strength, and contributions of Black Americans throughout history. It’s also an opportunity to confront the challenges and injustices that persist, including the racial wealth gap. We at Crisis Assistance Ministry know that through collective will and action, our community can honor the legacy of Black history while working toward a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and prosper, regardless of race or background.
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Why VITA Is So Vital to Our Community
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is an often overlooked but invaluable resource for families across the country, including many of the people served at Crisis Assistance Ministry. Aimed at promoting financial wellness and administered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), VITA relies on trained volunteers to provide free tax preparation services to eligible taxpayers. The FREE tax return service is available through two Mecklenburg County agencies this year.
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Stocking the Social Justice Library: Five New Books We’re Adding to Our Shelves
Our recent visit from Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Princeton University sociologist, inspired us to investigate other perspectives on economic equity and social justice issues. His remarks, focused on his latest book, Poverty, by America., motivated us to dig deeper into how we might encourage our community to begin unraveling the complex threads that keep so many of the people served at Crisis Assistance Ministry from achieving financial security and prosperity. Here are five social justice books on our holiday wish list this year.
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Can We Really Abolish Poverty?
For Pulitzer Prize-winning author and sociologist Matthew Desmond, the answer is YES!
During his recent visit to Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Desmond brought both data and passion to the discussion of why America is one of the richest nations on earth, yet has “more poverty than any other advanced democracy.”