Working together for good.
We work in partnership with dozens of organizations who provide services to those in need. Follow the links below to learn more about these agencies and discover ways to be involved in this important work.
In January we gathered at the Galilee Center to learn more about our partners. See the video here:
To learn more about volunteering with any of these organizations, please contact The Reverend Joan Kilian or Laura Konitzer.
Children, Youth & Educational Equity
Rama Road Elementary School
In 2008, Christ Church began a partnership with Rama Road Elementary School. Approximately 85% of this student body qualify for free or reduced lunch. Christ Church sponsors a Communities in Schools Coordinator position. In addition to having a case load of at-risk students, this person facilitates the work of our volunteers. Christ Church parishioners volunteer over 3,500 hours a year at Rama Road Elementary School.
Freedom School
Freedom School provides quality summer programs for students in grades K-8 in the Charlotte community. Christ Church assisted in sponsorship and provided volunteers for a Freedom School at Christ Lutheran Church in the summers of 2012 and 2013. In 2014, Christ Church sponsored its first Freedom School at Rama Road Elementary. Sixty-seven children from the school attended the summer program, and over 120 Christ Church parishioners volunteered. Our Rama site has a teen board where teens can volunteer two weeks of their time in the classroom and on field trips.
We are always looking for volunteers to chaperone field trips, serve as Harambee readers, lead afternoon activities, and host activities off campus. Youth are encouraged to serve.
Get Involved with Freedom School
The Learning Collaborative
The Learning Collaborative is a comprehensive pre-school program that facilitates hands-on involvement between teachers, students, families, patrons, and the community. Volunteers provide transportation, meals, speech/language/literacy development, and intensive family support. Ongoing support is needed to collect supplies for children.
Charlotte Bilingual Preschool
Charlotte Bilingual Preschool prepares Spanish-speaking children for success in school and life by providing superior dual-language early childhood education. The preschool supports students’ families with parenting, life skills and English-language classes, enabling them to sustain and nurture their children’s educational and emotional development.
Thompson Child and Family Focus & A Child’s Place (ACP)
Thompson Child and Family Focus is a non-profit organization operating three distinct campuses, each providing comprehensive education, treatment, and care for children (birth to 18 years) in need. Thompson cares for children with a range of challenges, from the most severe cases of abuse and neglect, to instances where families lack the means or tools to provide quality care and education. Thompson offers a stable environment in which to build a child’s inner strength. It is contracted with all Managed Care Organizations in North Carolina and is associated with the Episcopal church.
A Child’s Place (ACP) became a program of Thompson as a result of a merger in February 2020. ACP is a specialized, intensive case management service for families and children experiencing homelessness, focusing on three key priorities: access to resources, engage in healthy and supportive relationships, and increase self-sufficiency.
Foster Village Charlotte
Foster Village Charlotte creates connection with dignity for children and families experiencing foster care by meeting urgent needs, providing educational and emotional support, and advocating as a collective community voice for children.
Profound Gentlemen
Profound Gentlemen’s mission is to build a community of male educators of color who provide a profound additional impact on boys of color. They seek to dismantle the cradle to prison pipeline by establishing a cradle to career pipeline for boys of color. Hope is inclusivity to their work without regard to race, color, national origin, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, or veteran status.
The ROC (Rebuilding Opportunities in Construction)
The ROC (Rebuilding Opportunities in Construction)– The ROC’s mission is to recruit, educate and mentor high school students in Charlotte, NC for Career and Technical Education (CTE) and employment opportunities in the construction industry. Junior and seniors from selected Title 1 schools on the west side of Charlotte will participate in The ROC program. Embedded within this mission is for The ROC to be an integral part of a community-wide upward mobility solution for at-risk minority teenagers. The ROC program is an accredited Youth Apprenticeship program which prepares students under the age of 18 for “entry” into full time construction work. The ROC Youth Apprenticeship program involves a combination of structured classroom and applied learning on the job (i.e. Work Based Learning) which ensures Youth Apprentices are obtaining marketable industry recognized skills as they progress.
The Academy of Goal Achievers (TAOGA)
The Academy of Goal Achievers is a solution for the economic mobility crisis for underserved communities. Their purpose is to provide school and community based youth leadership mentoring groups that will empower young adults to be active leaders in their schools, communities and families, while preparing them for postsecondary success. They believe when safe spaces are created for young adults to build self-esteem, gain new knowledge, create new relationships and they’re empowered to give of their time, talents and treasures back into their respective communities, develops active youth leaders and change family generational cycles. Their work focus on, “developing youth leaders and preparing high school students and parents for post-secondary education and careers that consist of a two generational approach.”
Housing Stability & Solutions to Homelessness
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity brings individuals and communities together to build decent, affordable housing. In 1983, Christ Church joined with six other churches to establish Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte. This program is dedicated not only to the building of homes, but also to the uplifting of people and communities. Our parish has built one home every February through May since the inception of Habitat. Our support each year also allows for a Habitat house to be built in El Salvador. Over 110 volunteers help with Habitat construction and lunches.
Charlotte Family Housing (CFH)
This shelter-to-housing program responds to the immediate need of homelessness by sheltering working, homeless families and helping them forge a path back to housing. CFH then works alongside these families in the areas of financial self-reliance, careers, education, support networks, as well as health and wellness. The goal of this multifaceted approach is self-sufficiency for each family.
Mens Shelter of Charlotte (Roof Above)
The Men’s Shelter is an emergency shelter for adult men with two locations (Tryon Street campus and Statesville Avenue campus). In addition to meeting the basic needs of shelter, clothing, showers, and meals, the Men’s Shelter also works alongside the men to identify sources of income and available housing so that the men may move from homelessness to housed. Of the 600,000 meals served in a year at the Men’s Shelter, Christ Church serves 12,000.
Get Involved with the Men’s Shelter
Room in the Inn (RITI)
Every Sunday, December and January, Christ Church (along with over 100 other churches and organizations) provides emergency winter shelter for 14 homeless neighbors (homeless men, women, children, and/or families). Parishioners host our neighbors by assisting with bed set-up; picking up neighbors; making, serving, and sharing dinner with neighbors; serving as overnight hosts; and making sack lunches. We offer hospitality to those who have no place to call home. This is a great volunteer opportunity for families, especially for those with young children. To learn more, contact Thurman Brooks at riti.christchurch@gmail.com.
YWCA
YWCA: Families Together offers homeless families onsite access to a range of services, including childcare, counseling, and job training. Participants work and pay a portion of their rent as they work towards self-sufficiency. Christ Church provided seed money for this program which now provides transitional housing for 10 families. You can donate professional services such as computer services, financial planning, or dentistry. Help organize special outings for participants such as trips to the grocery or bowling.
YWCA: Women in Transition Program – Safe and affordable housing, along with intensive special services, support over 100 single women who are at risk of being homeless each year. The program operates at the YWCA on Park Road. Women work and pay part of their living expenses until they reach self-sufficiency (which happens after an average of two years).
Safe Alliance
Safe Alliance provides hope and healing to those impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault.
Supporting Housing Communities
Supportive Housing Communities provides affordable housing to alleviate homelessness and human suffering.
The Relatives
The Relatives is a system of resources that helps children and youth find shelter and support. Their programs Youth Crisis Center, On Ramp Resource Center, and Housing programs keep kids safe and families together. The goal of each program The Relatives offers is to keep kids safe and families together. They believe every child deserves a safe place to sleep and a fighting chance to make it.
Southminster
Southminster is a non-profit, charitable community that embraces the individual by fostering a quality of life characterized by choice, independence, well-being, spirituality, dignity, privacy, and peace of mind for each person.
Economic Opportunities & Stabilization
Crisis Assistance Ministry (CAM)
CAM serves low-income citizens of Mecklenburg County, often classified as “the working poor,” who are facing financial emergencies and struggling to meet basic needs. As one of the founding churches, we assist with pilot programs such as the Targeted Prevention Program. Learn about all of the ways to serve using their online volunteer portal. If you have not done so already, register as a CAM volunteer.
Matthew 25 Casserole Ministry
Parishioners prepare 25 casseroles every month for the Salvation Army, Men’s Shelter, Charlotte Rescue Mission, and the Urban Ministry Center. Collectively, our casseroles serve 1250 people a month. For more information and to volunteer, contact Caroline Stoneman.
Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays
Loaves & Fishes and Friendship Trays are excited to announce that our organizations have merged! They are now officially Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays, Inc. Food items are collected and distributed to 20 pantries across Charlotte, where people in crisis can receive a weeks’ worth of nutritious groceries. Christ Church donates 300 pounds of food a year. Christ Church, also, delivers approximately 2,000 meals a year to elderly, handicapped, or convalescing people in their homes. For more information and to volunteer, contact Barbara Ferguson.
Society of St. Andrew Gleaning Network
Since 1992, the Society of St. Andrew has operated a statewide, volunteer-driven Gleaning Network that coordinates with local farmers, thousands of volunteers, and food providing agencies. Their North Carolina Gleaning Network is going strong, salvaging over five million pounds of fresh produce for the hungry each year. In this agriculturally diverse state, gleaners work to salvage everything from strawberries to sweet potatoes to collard greens.
Other Partners
- Commonwealth Charlotte
- Dahlia Grove
- Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry
- Hope Vibes
Reconciliation & Restorative Justice
- Galilee Ministries
- MeckMIN
- Equity Training
- Changed Choices
- Center Community Transitions
- YWCA Eliminating Racism
- Refugee Support Services
Care & Sustainment of God’s Creation
- Catawba Riverkeepers Foundation
Missions Beyond Charlotte
Glory Ridge
Glory Ridge is a multi-denominational Christian camp located in Madison County, North Carolina, on 28 acres overlooking the French Broad River. The camp hosts both weekend retreats and week-long work camps serving people in need in the surrounding community. The rustic facilities have been built by volunteers over the years and the camp has always emphasized the combination of work and worship. Learn more »
Diocese of Costa Rica
Christ Church hosts summer and winter mission trips to Costa Rica, one of two Companion Diocese partnerships with the Diocese of North Carolina. Through many years of partnership, Christ Church has developed strong ties to this community. Travel to Costa Rica for a week to work on specific projects in Winter (adults only) and in July (adults and youth). Learn more »
Diocese of Botswana
Christ Church hosts trips to our other Companion Diocese partnership in Botswana. Over 15 of our parishioners have participated in mission trips that have gone to Selebi-Phikwe every other year. The group worked at St. Andrew’s Church painting, and doing small construction projects on the parish buildings.
Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD)
Through organizations such as the Episcopal Relief & Development Christ Church works to make an impact in relief of unforeseen disasters and development in impoverished countries. Recent projects have included our work in Costa Rica, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and the Gifts for Life and Nets for Life campaigns. Follow the projects funded by Episcopal Relief and Development, and support them financially. Find them at www.erd.org.