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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
On Juneteenth, Equity, Equality, and Freedom
Juneteenth marks a celebration of freedom—at least in the legal sense of the word. But it also evokes several bitter truths surrounding emancipation and its legacy. We see the ripples of that legacy here every day as we work to help our neighbors whose struggles are made more difficult by the social and systemic legacies of chattel slavery in the United States.
As we reflect on a historic moment in time, we can’t overlook the centuries of disenfranchisement that have followed legal emancipation and consider whether true freedom, equity, and equality have yet to arrive for many of our fellow citizens.
Help is Available for Rent and Utility Bills in the Face of Heatwave
With temperatures rising to life-threatening levels this week, Crisis Assistance Ministry continues to offer emergency financial assistance for Mecklenburg County residents at risk of utility disconnection or eviction. Families in need of help should visit http://crisisassistance.org/gethelp for detailed instructions on how to seek assistance and what to bring when submitting an application for assistance.
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Sometimes You Need A Friend
You could be that friend to offer hope and help during a trying time. With your help, people like Mary find that support through Economic Mobility specialists like Crisis Assistance Ministry staffer Randee. Caring community members like you have the unique opportunity to offer help during the initial financial crisis and to extend hope through vital life-changing resources like the Economic Mobility program. All with a gift before our Challenge comes to a close at midnight on April 30.
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Meet Ed – A Grandfather Giving Back
How does retiree, grandfather, and volunteer see the future? Hopeful. That’s one of the reasons you find him helping people in financial crisis every week. How does retiree, grandfather, and volunteer see the future? Hopeful. That’s one of the reasons you find him helping people in financial crisis every week.
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