Mission & Vision
The mission of Crisis Assistance Ministry is to provide assistance and advocacy for people in financial crisis, helping them move toward self-sufficiency.
Our vision is to inspire our community to justice and generosity as we provide help, hope, and understanding to people struggling with limited financial resources.
Our Programs
Basic Needs
Mecklenburg County families receive help with life’s basic needs: emergency rent and utility assistance, clothing, household goods, furniture, beds, and appliances.
Economic Mobility
The Economic Mobility Program helps families move towards financial security and introduces pathways to economic opportunity. Enrolled families are given the opportunity to work one-on-one with a caseworker for an hour per week for up to 90 days.
Civic Engagement
In a vibrant city like Charlotte, it’s easy to overlook the fact that many are suffering amid affluence. Our Civic Engagement Program increases awareness of the complex issues facing more than 100,000 neighbors in Mecklenburg County living in poverty.
By the Numbers
Children Benefiting from Our Services
Children under 18 made up 42% of those benefiting from Crisis Assistance Ministry services.
My Summer with Dignity, Integrity, Respect, Empathy, Compassion, and Trust
Crisis Assistance Ministry prides itself on its core values of Dignity, Integrity, Respect, Empathy, Compassion, and Trust (D.I.R.E.C.T,). I experienced all these aspects firsthand throughout my internship, both with employees and those the organization helps.
Read More
There is No “Them” or “Us”
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.
Read More
Volunteers Follow Their Hearts
Volunteering is more than slipping a shirt onto a hanger and sliding it onto a rack. Volunteering is giving back to your community, even though you may never see the results first-hand. But volunteers at Crisis Assistance Ministry go where their hearts lead them.
Read More
The Fastest Way to Help Hardworking Families This Summer
Our neighbors who come to Crisis Assistance Ministry for help are hard workers. They know how to stretch a dollar beyond the breaking point. But the odds are often stacked against them. Any small thing can send the budget spiraling out of control. That’s when you come in. Just a few minutes and a few dollars from you now can change their lives in that moment of crisis.
Read More
Catch Summer’s Cool(er) Vibes With a Playlist
A great playlist can help keep the memories going, and a playlist is another budget-friendly way to enjoy summer. The money you save can go farther in your gift to help your neighbors in Charlotte-Mecklenburg #savehome by meeting their basic needs, providing emergency financial assistance toward rent or utility bills, household goods and appliances.
Read More
6 More Ways To Hold On To Summer
There’s still plenty summer fun that can ease you into late August and early September – without breaking the bank. Take a look at our suggestions, and then take a moment to make a gift to help save home for other families.
Read More
Good Summer Fun to Celebrate Saving Home
With a few precious weeks of summer left, it’s time to get out there and celebrate summer with this list of inexpensive summer adventures close to home—some even in your own backyard. Bonus: since they won’t break the bank, you’ll have a little left to #savehome for more families during #CLTSavesHome, our Non-Event fundraiser, by August 31.
Read More
Army Vet Finds Welcome Relief from Summer Heat
In the sweltering summer, George found welcome relief for he and his eight-year-old son with an air conditioner through Crisis Assistance Ministry and Electrolux.
Read More
Electrolux (and you) Help Neighbors Beat The Heat
Volunteers from Electrolux’s North American headquarters in Charlotte unloaded 750 Frigidaire air conditioners recently at Crisis Assistance Ministry’s warehouse. For thousands of families in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, there is no central air or a suitable window unit to fight the heat in their homes or apartments, and extreme heat can cause adverse health effects. It’s a situation that’s more likely to affect families who are served by the agency.
Read More
You Can Shop for Good
A new school year is on the horizon, and over 40 public schools in Mecklenburg County require uniforms for students. For some families, having the right combination of colors, in the right sizes, after a summer of extra costs can be daunting. You can easily help out by visiting Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Wish List to point. click. and ship.
Read More
Save Home for Families Like Jaida’s
Padlocked out of their home, Jaida and Brianna thought they were camping as their parents created a “bed” of blankets in the back seat of their car every night. They didn’t know people like you were willing to help families like theirs. Then someone told them about Crisis Assistance Ministry.
Read More
Haley’s New Friend
Rising fifth-grader Haley knows what she wants. Accompanied by her mother, she combs the aisles of Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Free Store looking to find just what she needs for her upcoming trip to camp.
An avid reader, Haley is among 150+ area scholars who will attend overnight camp this summer with the help of Wayfinders.