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Crisis Assistance Ministry’s financial empowerment service provides one-on-one coaching to help individuals and families rebuild financial stability. Participants work one-on-one with a specialist once a week for a period of 90 - 120 days to identify areas of financial growth that can empower them to achieve economic mobility.
You can take control of your bills and stabilize your household finances, even if you are struggling right now.
You may qualify for a FREE series of financial empowerment coaching sessions with specialists from Crisis Assistance Ministry.
You can build money management skills while staying on track with housing costs if you:
- live in Mecklenburg County
- are currently housed with a lease or mortgage
- currently have income or receive SSI, SSD, Veterans benefits, etc.
You will meet with a specialist about once a week to assess what’s happening with your finances, income, bills, and housing. Meetings can be virtual, online, by phone, or in person, based on what works best for you.
These sessions will empower you to set your own goals for managing household needs and create a plan to reach them.
Topics include:
- landlord/tenant rights and communication
- making informed choices about debt
- tracking income and prioritizing expenses
- developing a savings plan and building assets
- referrals to additional services in the community based on your needs
- help to maintain stable housing while you participate and work toward your goals
How to Enroll
Thank you for your interest in our Financial Empowerment program. As we continue to strengthen and refine our services to better meet the needs of our community, enrollment for this program is currently paused and will reopen in 2026. This temporary pause allows us to evaluate program impact, enhance curriculum, and ensure we’re providing the most effective support possible.
Financial Empowerment Stories
The Real Meaning of Hope, Warmth, & Light
Hope. Warmth. Light. What do these words really mean? What happens when they are taken away? Joe’Asia knows that fear, but she’s now able to share warmth with her family thanks to the help of neighbors like you.
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.”
Will Medicaid Expansion Help Mecklenburg?
This long-awaited move by North Carolina will provide welcome relief to many low-wage earners who often are not offered health insurance through their employers. Considering the struggles of working families here in Mecklenburg County, there are certainly thousands who will benefit from Medicaid expansion in our own community. Based on evidence from other states, it’s likely all of us will reap the benefits of improved community health, lower eviction rates, and a stronger safety net for our neighbors.
Here’s What You Make Possible
It’s not too late to make stories like the one Carol shares here possible. You won’t need to attend a big gala, hire a babysitter, or order an Uber. Instead, make a direct contribution to help stabilize nearby families facing a financial crisis.
Your gift will help hardworking neighbors escape the threat of eviction or loss of utilities while empowering families with the resources to stabilize their families . . . and their future.
“Poverty, By America”: New Book Asks the Hard Questions
Does poverty exist because we want it to? In his new book, “POVERTY, BY AMERICA,” Matthew Desmond asks this and other provocative questions about persistent poverty in our land of plenty.