In response to God’s call to be servants and ministers to all people, St Mark’s supports, financially and through volunteer efforts, a number ministries in the Charlotte area.
Our prayer for this mission:
“ Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love.”
It is out of gratitude for what we have been given, that we share our blessings with others, including the following social ministry partners:
Charlotte Emergency Housing
Charlotte Emergency Housing has come to the aid of homeless families since 1985. CEH’s home-like shelter (Plaza Place) can house 14 families at a time, allowing them to stay together and support each other during this traumatic time in their lives. CEH is one of the few shelters in the community which accommodates the entire family, including fathers and teenage boys.
Men’s Shelter of Charlotte
The Men’s Shelter assists unaccompanied adult men experiencing homelessness in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County area by:
- Providing safe emergency shelter and meeting basic needs
- Addressing barriers related to homelessness and self-sufficiency
- Helping guests obtain and maintain more appropriate housing
The Men’s Shelter offers two services to their guests: emergency shelter and the FOCUS program (Freedom of Opportunity, Committed to Unlimited Success). We provide these services at both the Tryon Street and Statesville Ave campuses.
Emergency shelter is for overnight guests and additional overflow guests during periods of inclement weather. Emergency shelter includes meal service, shelter, addresses basic needs, and all guests have access to the additional services offered through the shelter and our community partners.
FOCUS is a case management program for guests that provides the same services as emergency shelter, but also offers specific support components including:
- Medical respite care
- Mental health support
- Substance abuse support
- Disability and veterans assistance
- Transitional support (including continuing care case management)
The Men’s Shelter offers a number of additional services to their guests such as a GED program, Anger Management, Individual and Group Therapy, 12-Step Support Groups, and a variety of Life Enrichment services that vary from budgeting classes to creative writing to yoga.
Emergency Winter Shelter
Shelter for homeless men during winter months.
Room In The Inn
Through Room in the Inn churches and schools provide shelter, food and conversation for homeless in their facilities from December through March.
There are a number of ways you can help support this mission. As we prepare to house those in need our biggest need continues to be consumable items such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, razors, shaving cream and other toiletries.
When traveling, on vacation or staying at a hotel, the sample sized items that you do not use make great items to donate to our Room in the Inn ministry. These small sample sizes allow us to provide the necessities for a night’s stay. When your “home” often consists of a“carry-on size” piece of luggage, you don’t have much room for such items.
We also greatly appreciate it if while shopping you see bargain priced sample sizes that you consider purchasing some for the Room in the Inn. Additionally, if you are at the dentist and are offered a toothbrush and or toothpaste sample that you don’t plan to use, please remember Room In The Inn.
Collections for supplies for Room in the Inn start in September.
Crisis Assistance
Crisis Assistance’s mission is to provide assistance and advocacy for people in financial crisis, helping them move toward self-sufficiency. It is their vision to inspire our community to justice and generosity as they provide help, hope and understanding to people struggling with limited financial resources.
They provide financial aid to families with immediate emergency needs for rent, food or utility bills, plus distribution of clothing, furniture and household essentials in their store.
Urban Ministry Center/St Peter’s Soup Kitchen
Provides daytime services including lunch, showers, laundry facilities and restrooms, telephone service, counseling regarding housing or jobs, and medical needs for homeless not reached by other agencies. They also coordinate Room In The Inn.
A Child’s Place
Founded in 1989, A Child’s Place is a collaborative effort between the Charlotte, NC community and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). The goals of A Child’s Place are to:
- provide stable, appropriate education to homeless students
- provide support services to enhance their opportunities for academic success
- provide services to families to ensure long term stability and self-sufficiency
A Child’s Place acts as a liaison to homeless children in six Mecklenburg elementary schools where they supervise attendance, clothing needs, school supplies, breakfasts and lunches and any medical or dental needs.
Chapel of Christ the King
Provides interfaith daycare, afterschool activities a teen center and a summer camp for low income children.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat Charlotte began in 1983 through the committed service and vision of seven area churches. Observing a dire need for adequate, affordable housing for the area’s low-income families, the churches created a non-profit group.
The group, modeled after Habitat for Humanity in Americus, was dedicated to building and financing homes that low-income residents could afford through zero-interest, no profit mortgages.
Since 1983, our affiliate has been enabling working-class families to help themselves become homeowners. To date, over 900 families have been able to realize their dream of homeownership.
Loaves and Fishes
Loaves & Fishes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nondenominational organization, founded and operated by local religious congregations. It grew out of an effort in 1975 at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church to respond to the growing hunger problem in Mecklenburg County and continues to expand to meet that need. They operate food pantries that provide a week’s worth of food to families and individuals in crisis.
Friendship Trays
Friendship Trays generally delivers more than 600 meals daily to elderly, handicapped, and convalescing people who are unable or greatly restricted in their ability to prepare or secure meals and who reside within the area we can reach with our corps of drivers. Deliveries are at the lunch hour but the meal is a full one, more like what many people are accustomed to for dinner.
This meal consists of two separate containers, one with meat or fish, vegetable and such, the other with carbohydrate, salad or fruit, and dessert. Also included is a container of milk or juice. Diet orders are obtained for all clients from their doctors, and a range of special diets are available to fill doctors’ written orders for certain medical conditions.
Kairos Prison Ministry
Kairos is an interdenominational Christian ministry whose programs are designed to be presented in state and federal men’s and women’s correctional institutions in the U.S. with adaptations for other countries and languages.
The purpose of Kairos is to build strong Christian communities inside prison walls. It begins with a three-day short course in Christianity and continues with small share and prayer groups among the residents of the institution.
Salvation Army Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs
Provides training, camps and programs for youth.
