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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

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You Restored Robert’s Faith

Robert is a boisterous soul who loves people and tries to leave everyone he meets better than he found them. He's always been a helper. Until he was the one who needed help.

September 20, 2019

Robert is a boisterous soul who loves people.

“My grandma always said you better help each other out, because one day you could be the one who needs helping,” he says.

He loves to make people smile and tries to genuinely compliment at least three people each day. Still, he’s usually been the helper and rarely the recipient. Until now.

He describes a daunting set of obstacles that led him to this moment. After 23 years on the job, he suffered a series of injuries that required costly surgeries and long recovery times. He couldn’t work. Then he was furloughed.

“Even that wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle, at least for a while,” he says. He and his partner made ends meet on one salary while Robert finished healing and began looking for other work.

Then his partner also required extended medical intervention. Soon, Robert was driving for rideshare companies, running through their savings, and trying everything to keep up with regular bills, medical needs, and all the little demands of life.

He managed to scrape together most of his past due rent, but his landlord refused to accept partial payment and threatened eviction proceedings.

He just didn’t know what to do next. He always thought of assistance agencies as for “other people.” He didn’t even know where to go or who to ask for help, even after he realized he couldn’t do it all himself.

In his words, “I was frustrated and angry that I honestly didn’t think I could go on anymore. I lost faith in everyone and everything. I was done.”

A friend suggested he try one more thing: a visit to Crisis Assistance Ministry. That’s when he began to see light at the end of the tunnel. Of that morning, Robert says, “It is no exaggeration when I say you literally saved my life.”

Thanks to the support of the community, Robert met one-on-one with a caseworker who listened patiently as he finally let out all the feelings, the frustration, and the desperation he had been holding in. “She really listened to me and helped me see there was a way out,” he says.

A payment issued directly to his landlord, along with the money Robert had pieced together on his own, stopped the threat of eviction. They mapped out exactly how much he would need to drive over the next month to stay current and how to move forward. And Robert realized he could finally breathe again.

“I just cried. I didn’t even have the proper words to say thank you,” he says. Just that little bit of help, allowed Robert, his partner, and their beloved cat to stay in their apartment together while they get back on track financially.

With his own smile back in place, Robert can also get back to helping those around him find their own joy.

“Thank you for giving me back my faith in humanity. You truly restored everything I had lost faith in.”

Filed Under: Customer Stories Tagged With: Customer, Financial, Financial Assistance, Housing, Rent Assistance

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  • On Juneteenth, equity, equality, and freedom
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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Preventing homelessness.
Preserving dignity.
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  • Main Office:
    500-A Spratt St.
    Charlotte, NC 28206
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    EIN 56-1416719

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Recent Photos

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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 @wayfindersnc. Mom Amber is focused on the basics, but then a new summer companion catches Haley's eye. Join her on her shopping trip at the link in bio: Meet Haley's New Friend

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The ONE Charlotte Health Alliance mobile unit will be back onsite Wednesday AND Thursday this week. Wednesday (9 am to 4 pm) will focus on Free HIV Testing, and Thursday (10 am to 3 pm) will include a variety of health screenings.
No appointment is necessary.

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Crisis Assistance Ministry is closed today to observe Juneteenth. But the question remains: while Juneteenth commemorates the arrival of legal emancipation for formerly enslaved people, when will we loose the chains of economic disparity and move our community toward a place of equity? Read more in today's blog at the link in our bio.

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Crisis Assistance Ministry will be closed on Monday, June 20, 2022, in observance of Juneteenth. Typical business hours will resume on Tuesday, June 21.

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Help us spread the word that NC kids under 18 can get free meals all summer long.  To find a site nearby, Just text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304  or visit @nokidhungrync online. No ID or registration is needed, children and teens ages 18 and younger just need to show up. 

FREE: Meals are free to children and teens ages 18 and younger who come to a summer meals site.
SAVE MONEY: Free summer meals will help families save money and stretch their already tight food budgets.
NUTRITIOUS: Food served at summer meal sites follows USDA nutrition guidelines and is paid for by the USDA.
SAFE: Summer meal sites are safe places for kids and teens to go, such as schools, churches, and community centers.
FUN: Many sites offer educational and recreational activities that kids of all ages can participate in so they can eat, hang out with friends and take part in activities offered.
NO ID, NO REGISTRATION: Parents don’t need to apply to the program to get a free summer meal for their kids. Children simply need to come to a summer meals site in their community and enjoy a healthy meal without the hassle of having to fill out an application or enroll in a program. No ID or registration is needed.

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This week, we welcome back @CROSSMissions which brings youth from across the Southeast 🚌✈️to Charlotte to learn and serve. In just 3 days, they assembled 43 fleece blankets for families who shop in our Free Store for essentials. These kiddos are some of our favorite #volunteers every summer!

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We are so excited to welcome @oneclthealth to our location at 500-A Spratt St in #CLT this Thursday, June 9 from 10a to 3p. No appointments are needed and you do not have to be a @CrisisAssistMin customer to visit for free blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol checks.

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The unofficial start to summer is upon us. School is almost over. Temps are high. For many, it is a time of family fun. But, sometimes summer also brings more challenges. What challenges are you navigating this summer?

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2/2 “Who knew that my encounter with Crisis Assistance would be the catalyst to relaunch me? To shake me out of a depression and a sense of loss, so that I could once again become a part of the helping community?” ~ Deborah

After resolving her crisis and completing an 8-week course to become a Customer Advocate, Deborah began volunteering—sharing her time, expertise, and her own experiences. When COVID changed things for everyone, she found a new way to share through Virtual Poverty Simulations which present participants with an online simulation highlighting the difficult choices families are often forced to make when struggling with limited financial resources. The discussion expands when customer advocates like Deborah share their personal struggles and experiences.

“It’s so important that participants see and hear the real, lived experiences of their neighbors,” says civic engagement manager Bonnie Tiernan, who leads the one-to-two-hour virtual experiences. “Advocates like Deborah help us bring the statistics to life by sharing their own struggles and successes in a powerful way.”

(Read the full story in "Deborah: Growing Stronger" at the link in our bio)

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