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.
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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You and Lucy Are Lifelines
Meet Lucy the loyal 16-year-old black lab. Pet lovers know the importance of a furry best friend. Lucy has provided Tammy with a lot of love and support over the years. Tammy and Lucy moved to Charlotte to support her sister with her first pregnancy. She got a job as an assistant manager but soon […]
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One Gift = Double the Impact
Did you know that 37% of workers in North Carolina make less than $15 per hour?* Our minimum wage is still $7.25 per hour which adds up to about $15,600 annually. Even $15 an hour only translates to around $31,200 per year. That harsh reality becomes even starker considering that the average rent in Charlotte […]
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A Phone Call Changed Her Life
Her reality changed in an instant when she got the call that she was furloughed. Betsy was at a loss for what to do next but she needed to be strong for her three children ages 10, 14, and 16, and her elderly mother.
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Carol Invites You To Join the Challenge
Every day I hear stories about members of our community who are trying their best to make ends meet. Thanks to amazing donors like you, we can help prevent eviction and utility shut-off and connecting people while empowering people to achieve housing stability and economic mobility. With the help of a matching fund from The Merancas Foundation you can double your impact with a gift right now.
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New Members Join Board of Directors
Four passionate and committed community members have joined Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Board of Directors for 2022. Each brings a diversity of knowledge, skills, and experience to this group of volunteers who provide oversight to the independent, nonprofit organization.
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Volunteers and Material Goods Donations Welcomed Once More
Following a temporary pause due to high rates of COVID-19 Omicron variant infection in Mecklenburg County, Crisis Assistance Ministry has resumed accepting donations of clothing, household goods, furniture, and appliances at its Charlotte offices at 500-A Spratt Street.
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A Blessing in Disguise
The pandemic forced us to stop and perform an overhaul. It wasn’t easy, and there were some challenges along the way. Still, our new process has transformed the way customers receive emergency financial assistance.
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