You can usually find Stacey in the warehouse working with volunteers to keep the Free Store stocked for families who shop free of charge each day. But what is her personal connection to our mission? What keeps her motivated as a part of the Crisis Assistance Ministry team?
Beyond the sumptuous feasts and festive parades, Thanksgiving embodies the power of community and the spirit of giving. Here at Crisis Assistance Ministry, we see that power every day as you reach into our lobby and offer help, hope, and understanding to neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet.
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.
In fiscal year 2022, your support made it possible for Crisis Assistance Ministry to assist more than 40,000 individuals within more than 17,000 Mecklenburg County households.
Together, we continued to prevent homelessness, preserve dignity, and foster stability for low-income neighbors facing a financial crisis. Read about it in our Community Impact Report
With two kids to care for, aged 7 and 9, there is a zero percent chance my family can pay these bills on time. Should I fall behind on rent payments and risk eviction? Should I ignore the electric bill and risk the power being cut off? How will I be able to afford groceries for the coming week? All of these questions spiraled through my mind as I came to a harrowing conclusion: my family and I could likely end up homeless very soon.
Suddenly, I heard a whistle blow, and a hush fell over the room. It was over.
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. At Crisis Assistance Ministry, every day, we see brave and committed Black Charlotteans struggling to resist the forces of an unjust society right here in Mecklenburg County.
When I wake up in the morning, I am not worried about whether I am going to struggle to pay my rent this month. I am not worried about whether my lights are going to get turned off or if I won’t have water in the next couple of days. When I wake up in the morning, my first worry is if I am late for work or class, and that is a privilege I didn’t even know I had until I began working at Crisis Assistance Ministry this summer.
Get to know our new volunteer board members. They are joining a group of amazing board members who advocate and work hard to keep our neighbors in need housed with power and lights.
