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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

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Princess the Support Dog

Julia is a customer and advocate for people in crisis in our community. Along with her husband and support dog, Princess, she is rebuilding her life thanks to amazing people like you.

November 10, 2020

Some of you may be familiar with Julia and her story. If not here is a little bit of background and how she is doing now in her own words.

“One thing about me is any blessing, any sadness, any tragedy – I share it. Because someone out there will benefit from my struggles. If we all can do it and hold on to one another, nobody fails. Nobody has to suffer.”

Julia is a customer and community advocate. Four years ago, she tragically lost her teenage son, Ryzel, and shortly afterwards her home. With your support, she is now in a rent-to-own home, moving forward in strength with her husband and dog.

“Princess is 11 years old. She is my emotional support animal. She was raised by my son. And now she protects me. She lets anybody know when I am getting sick or if she thinks I am having a seizure she will bark like crazy. She is probably every bit of 5 pounds wet. But she has the heart of a big old bulldog. Don’t you Princess?”

“Something about Princess and me in this big house. When I am in here all by myself is – she lays on Ryzel’s pillow and it has to be by my bed. If I move it to other side of the room she will drag it with her teeth and plop it right under the window. See her ears popping up? She knows I am talking about her.”

“Downstairs I have a memorial shelf and I had to take the items off the bottom shelf because she likes to climb and sit in there and that’s where his ashes are. You can’t tell me that there is not a bond in here.”

Give the gift of home for neighbors like Julia by making a donation today.

GIVE HOME

This holiday season, you can provide the most vital of gifts – the gift of home. Your support provides help to neighbors in need and creates hope for a better future.

GIVE HOME

Filed Under: Agency News, Campaign, Customer Stories Tagged With: #giftofhome, #holiday2020, #HomeForTheHolidays, #PreserveDignity, #PreventHomelessness, holiday giving

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  • Thermometer with High Reading and Glaring SunHelp is Available for Rent and Utility Bills in the Face of Heatwave 
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  • Deborah stands to speak holding her notes in a decorated conference room.Deborah: Growing Stronger As An Advocate

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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Preventing homelessness.
Preserving dignity.
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  • (704) 371-3001
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  • Main Office:
    500-A Spratt St.
    Charlotte, NC 28206
  • Tax ID
    EIN 56-1416719

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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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"The more I share, the stronger I become. The story no longer has power over me. I have power over it."~ Deborah, mother, daughter, caregiver, and advocate

1/2: When we last looked in on Deborah, she was emerging from a time of crisis with a renewed sense of her purpose. After watching dementia slowly take her mother, battling her own depression, and ultimately retiring due to health difficulties, the master’s prepared social worker found herself somewhere she never imagined: sitting across the desk from another social worker, seeking help to dig herself out. Looking back, she remembers being met with kindness, concern, and hope.

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

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