Day #83: Give with the Crisis Center in Asheville, NC

150 Days, Giving, Non-Profit Organizations

Today we visited the Crisis Center, which is operated by The Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry.

ABCCM has five different departments (Crisis, Jail, Shelter, Veteran, and Medical).

The Crisis Center exists for those who need immediate assistance. People come to the center whenever they lack food or clothing or if they need money for an unpaid bill.

One unique thing about ABCCM is that the organization is primarily supported by local churches. There are nearly 300 churches who provide material donations, monetary gifts, and volunteers.

If you are part of a church, does your church collaborate with other churches in your area to serve your community?

6 comments on “Day #83: Give with the Crisis Center in Asheville, NC”

Jenn says:

April 29, 2011 at 4:59 am

There should be an organization like this in every town.

Our church is often contacted by those who need assistance and sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between those who really do need help and those who are just looking to take advantage of a willing giver. I'm sure that the structure of an organization like this one would help with that problem!
1. Tim says:
  
  April 30, 2011 at 9:17 pm
  
  Yes. I have dealt with many people like that over the years. It is sometimes difficult to know what to do for them.
  
  Of course, those men and women need help too. It is just not necessarily what they are asking for.
  1. Jenn says:
    
    April 30, 2011 at 9:29 pm
    
    So true Tim - they do need help too. We usually address the issue by simply taking them to the store and buying what they say they need or taking groceries to them or we've even directly paid their electric bill or taken them to the gas station and put gas in their vehicle - anything aside from actually giving them cash, which is what they usually are asking for when they call our church.
Erica says:

April 29, 2011 at 8:44 am

I love that churches are the ones providing for this organization. That's what the church is supposed to be doing, and I'm glad to see they have the right idea.
1. Tim says:
  
  April 30, 2011 at 8:44 pm
  
  For sure and we were even more impressed by the Vet's Quarters we visited the following day. https://giveeveryday.com/?p=4966
Kara says:

May 5, 2011 at 11:42 pm

That's really impressive- I liked the Vet's Quarters post you did too. I would love to go to a church that helped with organizations like that- Erica's right, that's exactly what the church is supposed to do. I love that there's 300 churches that work together to support that- time to see if there's something like that in the Phoenix area . . .

Our Pledge

We hereby pledge:

- To spend intimate, quantity time with our family.
- To actively help the poor, the sick, the lonely, and the helpless.
- To value, protect, and advocate for children.
- To de-emphasize the importance of “stuff” in our lives.
- To bring publicity to good causes and good people.
- To live with intentionality, as if this year was our very last.
- To observe the needs in our country/community – and then do something about them.
- To give – every day.