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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

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Free Store

December 19, 2025

“Toys from Thomas” Comes to Crisis Assistance Ministry

Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Taylor Moton and his family bring Toys from Thomas to life for families working hard toward financial stability.

Filed Under: Agency News, Donor Stories Tagged With: Community Impact, Financial Stability, Free Store, holiday giving, NC, Taylor Moton, Taylor Moton Fund

November 30, 2025

Warm Hearts, Warm Smiles For More Than 20 Years

More than two decades ago, then WSOC Meteorologist Steve Udelson saw a need and rallied the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community to solve it. That first year, viewers donated about 3,000 coats for people served by Crisis Assistance Ministry. By the time Steve retired, the annual collection was averaging more than 30,000 coats. All told, Steve’s Coats is […]

Filed Under: Agency News, Customer Stories Tagged With: 50, 50 Years of Hope, Coats, Community, Free Store, WSOC TV 9 Coats for Kids

October 25, 2025

Charlotte Means Business: Local Companies Give Time and Dollars to Preserve Dignity

With some of the largest companies in America headquartered in the Charlotte Region, it is no surprise that local businesses enhance Crisis Assistance Ministry’s ability to serve Mecklenburg County. From thousands of volunteer hours to clothing and household good donations to sizeable financial gifts, Charlotte companies provide critical support to Crisis Assistance Ministry operations. Over […]

Filed Under: Agency News, Volunteer Stories Tagged With: Bank of America, Corporate Volunteers, Electrolux, Elliott Davis, Free Store, Volunteers

October 14, 2025

Compassion and Commitment Build Community

September was truly a remarkable month, overflowing with compassion, hard work, and the exceptional spirit of giving right here in our community! Crisis Assistance Ministry is dedicating this space to recognizing the corporate and community volunteer groups who committed their time and effort to making a real, tangible difference for our neighbors facing financial crisis. […]

Filed Under: Volunteer Stories Tagged With: Allstate, Davidson College, Free Store, Lowes, Volunteers

Woman holding a baby in the Free Store circa 1986

September 25, 2025

The 50-Year Legacy of the Free Store

What if every shirt, every pair of pants, and every warm coat had a story to tell? Not just the journey it took from one home to a donation bin, but the story of the family who received it, the hope it brought, and the crisis it helped avert. In the heart of Charlotte, there’s […]

Filed Under: Agency News, Donor Stories Tagged With: 50th, Clothing, Drive Thru, Free Store, History, Material Goods

September 15, 2025

National Clothing Insecurity Awareness Day Sheds Light on a Hidden Crisis

September 15, 2025 marked the inaugural National Clothing Insecurity Day. While you have likely heard of housing, food, and financial insecurity, have you heard of clothing insecurity? Probably not. This often-hidden insecurity is when someone lacks access to clean, properly fitting, and appropriate clothing. Millions of American families struggle with this challenge, and it is […]

Filed Under: Advocacy Tagged With: #PreserveDignity, Amazon Wish List, Free Store, National Clothing Insecurity Day

August 21, 2025

Behind the Scenes: How Your Uniform Donations Reach Families

Every uniform tells a story. That tiny pair of navy blue pants? Donated by a family whose youngest just started middle school. The stack of red polos? Shipped from a kind stranger through our Amazon Wish List. Each item has a journey—and at Crisis Assistance Ministry, it’s our job to make sure those journeys end […]

Filed Under: Agency News, Customer Stories Tagged With: #PreserveDignity, Customer, Free Store, school uniforms, Volunteers

November 15, 2024

Allstate Helps Us Help Others

This month we were thrilled to welcome volunteers from Allstate to our volunteer army. Through its employee volunteer program, Allstate empowers individuals to make a positive impact on their communities.

Filed Under: Volunteer Stories Tagged With: #PreserveDignity, 50, Allstate, Free Store, Volunteers

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Recent Posts

  • Group of people standing and talking in the Crisis Assistance Ministry lobby during the 2025 alumni eventCrisis Assistance Ministry Welcomes New Board Members 
  • A Tale of Two Customers 
  • The Cycle of Poverty, Eviction, and Mental Illness
  • New Report Reveals Deepening Pressure on Charlotte Mecklenburg Families 
  • The Benefits Cliff: When Progress Costs Too Much

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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Contact Us

  • (704) 371-3001
  • 500-A Spratt St.
    Charlotte, NC 28206
  • Tax ID:
    EIN 56-1416719
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crisisassistmin

Open post by crisisassistmin with ID 18440646022139634
Help us welcome our newest Board members: Sherry Ferguson, Jay Herring, and Allison Hoffman. 💛

Our Board is a volunteer group of community leaders guiding housing stability and financial assistance work across Charlotte‑Mecklenburg. They bring expertise from finance, healthcare, housing, law, and grassroots organizing, all grounded in a shared commitment to neighbors in financial crisis.

New Board member Allison Hoffman put it this way:

“It is such an honor to join the amazing board at Crisis Assistance Ministry. I'm looking forward to learning more about the important work they are doing in our community, and raising awareness about the financial hardships our neighbors are facing.”

We are grateful for Sherry, Jay, and Allison’s time, talents, and heart for this mission.

crisisassistmin

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Spring cleaning meets summer sun. 🌼☀️ This week’s most needed items on our Amazon Wishlist are Fabuloso and sunscreen, helping neighbors keep their homes fresh and their families protected as warmer days approach.

Scan the QR code in the graphic or use the link in our bio to shop our wishlist and have essentials sent directly to Crisis Assistance Ministry. Every item you give makes a real difference for a local family. 💛

crisisassistmin

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Change happens when we show up and speak out.

Earlier this week, Carol Hardison @carolinthehouse stood before @cltgov  City Council to support “The People’s Budget” – a vision for a city budget that centers care, dignity, and justice for all of Charlotte, not just a few.

Every day, we see neighbors pushed to the brink by rising housing costs, low wages, and impossible choices. In the last fiscal year, 52,625 evictions were filed in Mecklenburg County.

Carol uses her voice publicly and consistently so those realities are not ignored, calling for investments in housing stability and the services families rely on. Leadership means being willing to be seen, to listen, and to speak up for those who are too often left out of the conversation. We are grateful to have a leader who does exactly that for our entire community. 💛

crisisassistmin

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According to a national study, renters who believe they’re likely to be evicted in the next two months have more than double the odds of experiencing depression and anxiety compared with renters who feel secure in their housing.

Even the threat of losing a home can keep families up at night. This Mental Health Awareness Month and Affordable Housing Month, we’re working so that more Mecklenburg County neighbors can worry less about eviction and focus more on healing.

crisisassistmin

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This could have been a novel full of obstacles, but it’s a real story of hope, resilience, and strength.

In “A Tale of Two Customers,” Mandy and Shawn walk through the same lobby at Crisis Assistance Ministry carrying very different burdens and find the same open door to help and a way forward. Their journeys reflect what so many of our neighbors face when life unravels: past‑due notices, hard choices, and the fear of losing home and stability.

But there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

During our Challenge Match, every dollar you give is matched dollar for dollar, so your generosity goes twice as far—twice the help, twice the impact, twice the hope—for families like Mandy’s and Shawn’s. Tap the link in our bio to read “A Tale of Two Customers” and make your matched gift today.

crisisassistmin

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This group surprised us in the best way 💛

The Child First team from Children’s Home Society of North Carolina showed up with a gentle approach and fierce tenacity, carefully inspecting donations that will soon support local families — and somehow made it all look fun and effortless at the same time. We’re so grateful for partners whose mission to strengthen children and families aligns so closely with ours, and we can’t wait to welcome them back again soon.

crisisassistmin

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We’ve been looking for you everywhere — our favorite financial supporter! We checked X, we peeked at Bluesky, and look at that … we finally found you here on Instagram. 

Every dollar you give to our Challenge Match is matched dollar for dollar (up to $1 million!) turning one act of generosity into two. Your gift goes twice as far: twice the help, twice the impact, twice the hope for neighbors who are doing everything they can to keep the lights on and a safe place to call home.

Ready to make your generosity do double duty?

🔁 Your donation is matched 1:1
❤️ Twice the impact for families in crisis
📲 Give today and help keep the lights on, the rent paid, and hope alive

Tap the link in our bio to donate now and watch your gift be doubled for our community.

crisisassistmin

Open post by crisisassistmin with ID 18089886851462106
Then: median rent around $145.
Now: about $1,600.

Wages didn’t keep up. Housing costs did.
Neighbors we serve today earn about $25,000 a year and spend most of it just to stay housed.

Since 1975, 2.5 million people have found help here when the math just didn’t work anymore.

The year changed. The zip codes changed.
The need for a safety net in Charlotte didn’t.

crisisassistmin

Open post by crisisassistmin with ID 17919929730353761
Children’s mental health isn’t always shaped by school, friends, and family—sometimes it starts with a notice on the door, a packed suitcase, and another bedroom they’ll only sleep in for a few months.

Help keep children safely housed by supporting Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Challenge Match. Your gift will be matched dollar for dollar (up to $1M) and will support a neighbor who’s choosing between essentials and rent. Link in Bio

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