November 5, 2026 | Faith, Community and Non-Profit Leader Check-In Meeting
Welcome to MeckMIN's Thursday Zoom Check-In Meetings
These meetings are open to anyone interested in supporting compassionate community response, especially in partnership with the most vulnerable among us.
Meetings are held online every other Thursday from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Email LeDayne Polaski for Zoom access code. In addition, if you would like to receive notification when these minutes are posted, please email LeDayne and ask to be added to the Thursday meetings email list.
You can find the recording here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/hd74zyoOEz3F9Hcux08a_L6UN__B8qP4-PF6dt-8tf6hfJKoYZK7AWmwq0bw3DR3.MjT306DcdCxmHUFa
Attendance: 59
OPENING REFLECTION
One of our Hindu members shares this greeting: We wish Happy Diwali and prosperous New year to all as our new ancient Sindhu (Hindu) year starts we pray for good and divine celebrations, may almighty allow us to see his light in each of us and serve ourselves with dignity, respect and love. Kindness to creatures that Almighty has created to keep this universe pure and enjoyable for all.
MECKMIN UPDATES
PLEASE SHARE THESE EVENTS WITH YOUR NETWORK AND WITH ANYONE YOU THINK MIGHT BE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED – AND PLEASE CONSIDER COMING YOURSELF
THURSDAY MEETINGS
We are meeting in 2026:
November 12
December 3
December 17
No meeting December 31
2027 Schedule TBA
Interfaith Embroidery Group Seeks New Members
November 12 – Potlucks for Pluralism Dignity Index Training
Open to local college students and college-age young adults
DINNER GATHERING FOR TEACHERS OF WORLD RELIGIONS
Throughout the past year, we've had some great gatherings of local folks who teach world religions and related fields. We've had a great time connecting with one another and sharing experiences and resources.
Thanks to generous funding from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (AVDF), we're going to continue these gatherings once a semester this academic year.
This semester we'll gather at Davidson on Tuesday, November 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. We'll gather at the Carolina Inn 215 N Main St, Davidson, NC 28036. The gathering will include a FREE dinner.
Please RSVP to me (ledayne@meckmin.org) to let me know you can come, and please mention any dietary restrictions.
We'd also love to expand our reach -- Who else do you know locally who might be interested? Per our grant funding, this event focused on educators involved in higher education—so those at the collegiate or graduate levels. Who else do you know that we might invite?
FRIENDSGIVING REGISTRATION AND SPONSORSHIP DEADLINE!
Friendsgiving Sponsorship Deadline is THIS MONDAY. Contact LeDayne at ledayne@meckmin.org if you would like to sponsor this wonderful community-building event!
Ticket sales will close Wednesday, November 11.
Interfaith Harmony Month 2027 will be here before you know it! If you're interested in hosting an event at your organization or house of faith that will be open to and of interest to the wider faith community, you can fill out the preliminary host form here: www.meckmin.org/interfaith-harmony-month-host-application
You'll Want to Save These 2027 Dates:
USHERING IN 40 YEARS
Great news about your November gift to the Ushering in 40 Years Campaign:
This November, MeckMIN has a special opportunity to grow the circle of people who sustain our work throughout the year. A generous anonymous donor has offered to give an additional $100 for every person who begins a new recurring monthly or quarterly gift during the month of November, up to 20 new recurring donors.
That means your commitment to give monthly, quarterly or yearly—at whatever amount is meaningful to you—will immediately generate an extra $100 for MeckMIN.
Recurring gifts are especially valuable because they provide reliable support we can count on as we plan programs, bring people together, strengthen relationships across faiths and cultures, and respond when our community needs us.
Our goal is simple: 20 new recurring donors in November. If we reach it, this generous donor will contribute an additional $2,000 to MeckMIN.
Whether you choose $10 a month, $25 a quarter, $500 a year or another amount that works for you, your recurring gift helps give MeckMIN a stronger foundation for the year ahead.
As we prepare to enter our 40th anniversary year, we hope you’ll consider becoming one of those 20 new recurring donors.
You can make your gift here, simply choosing monthly, quarterly or yearly:
And if a recurring gift isn't right for you, please know that EVERY gift helps with our $36,300 goal for the campaign.
Thank you for helping us keep building bridges.
Ushering in 40 Years General Announcement:
In a time when division and distrust can feel easier than connection, MeckMIN creates spaces where people across faiths, cultures, and communities can know one another, work together, and build trust.
Throughout Mecklenburg County, we bring faith and community leaders into relationship, help neighbors better understand one another’s traditions, equip people to navigate difference with respect, and connect organizations and congregations around the needs of our community.
That work takes many forms: regular gatherings of faith, nonprofit, and community leaders; interfaith education and training; youth programs; conversations and service opportunities; and community-wide events like Interfaith Harmony Month, the Community Leader Awards Breakfast, and Mecklenburg Interfaith Friendsgiving. Sometimes our most important work is less visible — making an introduction, connecting the right people, or helping build the relationships that allow a community to respond when a need arises.
As MeckMIN ushers in its 40th year, we believe this work is as important as ever.
Your gift to the Building Bridges Campaign helps sustain the relationships, programs, and connections that make a more understanding, compassionate, and connected community possible.
Together, we can continue building a Mecklenburg County where people do more than live alongside one another — we know our neighbors, value one another, and work together for the common good.
We hope you'll consider making a gift to help MeckMIN usher in its 40th year here:
Link to Nima's letter about MeckMIN past, present and future: https://www.meckmin.org/post/a-letter-from-the-president-of-the-board
The views and opinions expressed below are those of the speakers/presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the MeckMIN board or our member organizations
OTHER FAITH AND INTERFAITH OPPORTUNITIES
Wedgewood's 5th Annual International Holiday Bazaar
CALLING ALL ARTISANS, MAKERS, FOOD VENDORS AND SMALL BUSINESSES!
Wedgewood's 5th Annual International Holiday Bazaar is coming, and we want YOU to be part of it!
This year, we're partnering with the Latin American Coalition to bring together local artists, makers, entrepreneurs and food vendors for a festive celebration of global cultures, creativity and community!
Do you create handmade goods, artwork, jewelry or crafts? Prepare delicious food? Run a small business with unique products to share? Know someone who does? We'd love to have you join us!
BEST OF ALL, IT'S FREE TO PARTICIPATE AND SET UP A TABLE! We have a limited number of 6ft by 18in tables available, so feel free to set up your own table. There is plenty of parking in the rear of the building.
- Vendors from immigrant and refugee communities keep 100% of their profits.
- Other vendors are asked to make a donation to Latin American Coalition to support programs benefiting immigrant and refugee families in Charlotte.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
WHEN: Sunday, December 6, 2026 | 12–4 PM
WHERE: Latin American Coalition, 4938 Central Ave., Charlotte, NC
INTERESTED IN BEING A VENDOR?
Complete this application and return it to wedgewood.church@yahoo.com.
More than a holiday market, our International Holiday Bazaar is an opportunity to celebrate cultural diversity, support small businesses and make a meaningful difference in our community.
This year's bazaar is a fundraiser benefiting the Latin American Coalition, helping support its programs and services for immigrant and refugee families in Charlotte.
HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! Share the flier and application form with organizations and people in your circle. Tag your favorite local artists, makers, food vendors and small businesses. We'd love to see them there!
Galilee Winter Coat Drive
November 9-30
Joanne Jenkins joannej523@gmail.com
When the temperature drops, this community has a way of warming up. Every year, you fill Galilee with coats, gloves, socks, and scarves for neighbors who need them, and every year your generosity surprises us all over again. Let's do it again this winter. |
2026 Giving Machine in Charlotte
Good Morning, I'm Sabrina Johnson with The Light the World Giving Machine in Charlotte, sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is our 5th year! Our website is: GivingMachineCharlotte.org
Sabrina Johnson | Communication Director
Charlotte and Western NC, Northwestern SC
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
cell: 704-634-7172
DCPC MEDICAL DEBT RELIEF EFFORT
On January 14, 2027, Davidson College Presbyterian Church will launch a campaign to raise $100,000 to support this effort. We will begin with an educational event in Davidson on the evening of Thursday, January 14th at 6:30 pm. to learn about the issue of Medical Debt and what can be done to help relieve the burden of this debt. Please put this date on your calendar and look for more info about it.
We have already applied for funds from the Davidson Community Foundation and will soon know what they will contribute. In addition, DCPC is able to contribute more than $20,000 from Memorial Funds collected following the death of DCPC member and Elder Heather McKee. It was Heather’s vision, as she endured treatments for cancer, and met many families who struggled with medical costs, that the church would help address this issue in our communities.
Will you join us? If you would like to learn more, please reach out to Robert Alexander at ralexander@dcpc.org. We hope to gather other partners from the Presbytery and work together to reach this goal and abolish over $10 million in medical debt in our area. Our campaign will run from January 14 – February 28, 2027.
MECK COUNTY UPDATES
Community Service Grant
Partnerships for Nonprofits: Community Service Grants Available to Support Mecklenburg County Goals
Mecklenburg County, N.C. – Nonprofits are the beating heart of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, providing services that make our community a better place to live, supporting needs such as affordable housing, literacy, health care, career readiness, and much more. That is why Mecklenburg County will be accepting applications from nonprofits that provide services to county residents through the Community Service Grant program.
Nonprofits can apply for FY2028 Community Service Grants from Oct. 29 to Nov. 25, 2026. The application link and other information will be available atBudget.MeckNC.gov/Grants. Attendees may register at Budget.MeckNC.gov/Grants.
To qualify for a Community Service Grant, applicants must:
· Serve the residents of Mecklenburg County.
· Have current 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
· Submit audited financial statements.
· Have a documented Equal Opportunity Employer policy.
· Provide the lates IRS Form 990 filing.
· Clearly contribute to specific County goals.
Organizations can apply for a one-year or two-year grant, but there is a minimum of $50,000 and maximum of $500,000 regardless of term. The grant award funding period begins July 1, 2027.
Anyone with questions can email Grants@MeckNC.gov.
Media Contact: Alex Burnett, Public Information Officer, Alex.Burnett@MeckNC.gov or 980-445-8716
CITY OF CHARLOTTE UPDATES
2027 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Celebration!
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations MLK Holiday Planning Committee is excited to invite you to participate in the 2027 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Celebration!
Each year, our community comes together to honor the life, leadership, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., through events that celebrate unity, service, equality, and hope. This year’s theme is “Maintaining Faith & Hope in a Time of Uncertainty”
As we prepare for the 2027 celebration, we invite community organizations, schools, businesses, faith-based groups, neighborhood associations, families, and individuals to get involved!
REGISTRATION & NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!
2027 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade
Be part of one of Charlotte's cherished traditions! We invite marching bands, dance teams, community organizations, businesses, schools, faith-based groups, and other community partners to participate in the annual MLK Parade.
· Registration Deadline: Saturday, December 12, 2026
· Registration Link: [City of Charlotte] Charlotte NC MLK Parade 2027
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Emerging Leaders
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Emerging Youth Leadership Award Application is for high school students in the Greater Charlotte area who are making a difference in their community. A student committed to service, leadership, and positive social change, who embodies the values that Dr. King stood for: justice, equality, and community empowerment. Through active involvement in community service initiatives.
· Nomination Deadline: Saturday, December 12, 2026
· Nomination Link: Neumo: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Emerging Award nomination form
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Medallion Award nomination form
The Medallion and Keeper of the Dream Awards celebrate individuals who embody racial equality, social justice and active community service. These are the people who step up for others when walking away is the easier thing to do.
· Nomination Deadline: Saturday, December 12, 2026
· Nomination Link: Neumo: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Medallion Award
Growing the Dream
Help us recognize individuals and organizations who continue to advance Dr. King's dream through leadership, community service, advocacy, and a commitment to making a positive difference.
We encourage you to nominate deserving individuals and organizations whose work reflects Dr. King's vision of a more just, inclusive, and compassionate community.
· Nomination Deadline: Saturday, December 12, 2026
· Nomination Link: Neumo: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Growing the Dream Award Nomination Form
DON'T MISS DECEMBER 12TH DEADLINE!
We encourage you to share this opportunity with your friends, family, coworkers, community organizations, and networks. For additional information, registration details, or nomination opportunities, please contact mlk@charlottenc.gov or visit Charlotte-Mecklenburg MLK Celebration - City of Charlotte
Respectfully submitted,Delores Reid SmithChair, MLK Holiday Planning Committee
Important Request: Community Relations Faith-Based & Community Leadership Contact Network
Good morning,
As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen communication and coordination throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the Community Relations Department is updating our contact information for faith-based leaders, community organizations, and other trusted partners.
Our goal is simple: When an urgent community matter or crisis arises, we want to be able to reach the right people quickly, share accurate information, and work together to support our community. There may be situations when the Mayor, City Manager, Chief of Police, or other community leaders need to communicate important information directly to our faith-based and community partners.
I am asking all faith-based and community leaders to take a few minutes to complete the contact information form below. We are requesting your name, organization, leadership role, direct cell phone number, and email address.
I also want to be clear about how this information will be used. Your direct cell phone numbers and contact information are being collected for official Community Relations communications and urgent crisis coordination, not for general public distribution. The information will be maintained in a secured departmental contact directory, with access limited to authorized personnel and handled in accordance with applicable City policies and public records requirements.
I recognize that many people are understandably hesitant to share their personal cell phone numbers. Please know that our intention is not to contact you unnecessarily. When you receive an urgent call or message from me or our department, it will be because there is an important matter requiring timely communication, coordination, or your assistance in reaching others.
Community Relations Contact Information Form:https://seam.ly/XMNkImHu
I would also appreciate your help with two things:
1. Primary and Secondary Contacts: For faith-based organizations, we would like the senior pastor or primary organizational leader to complete the form, along with a secondary contact who can help coordinate or distribute information when the primary leader is unavailable.
2. Sharing the Link: Please forward this form to other faith-based leaders, community organizations, and trusted partners who should be included in this communication network. We want to make sure no important community partners are overlooked.
This effort will also allow us to move away from maintaining a static Excel contact list and establish a more reliable process for keeping information current as organizational leadership and contact information change.
Thank you for your partnership and continued commitment to our community. The relationships we build before a crisis are often what make the greatest difference when one occurs. My goal is to ensure we have those relationships and lines of communication in place before we need them.
I appreciate your assistance in helping us strengthen this network.
FRIENDSGIVING SPONSOR MESSAGE
Humana
Adam Bacot abacot@humana.com
NONPROFIT UPDATES
Pure Heart Media and Kingdom Arts Fuzion
Hi all I am Doneta Dawson founder of Pure Heart media and Kingdom Arts Fuzion. Based in Charlotte. I am a Christian Minister, Teacher, Artist: singer-songwriter, author, and Arts Advocate. My website is http://pureheartmedia.org
Nourish Up Update
Tina updated us on her coming move -- she's leaving Nourish Up on January 4 to take a similar job in the low country of SC. We thanked her for her MANY GIFTS to the Charlotte area and the wonderful foundation she has created, and we blessed her for all the work yet to come in her new home.
She also shared some ways to support their efforts for our neighbors experiencing hunger:
Here is a link to all the ways you can help for Thanksgiving : https://nourishup.org/thanksgiving2026
And here is our events page highlighting lots of upcoming events supporting our neighbors in need:https://nourishup.org/events/
Tina Postel
Chief Executive Officer
Nourish Up
(formerly Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays)
NEW EMAIL: tpostel@nourishup.org
Sanctuary Counseling Group
Ann Marie Worman<amworman@scgnc.org>
Anne-Marie from Sanctuary Counseling Group updated the meeting on their nonprofit's mental health services, including their program for uninsured and underinsured clients. She announced an upcoming symposium in May 2027 during National Mental Health Awareness Month and invited potential exhibitors.
Our Story
Sanctuary Counseling Group has provided mental health counseling and pastoral counseling in the greater Charlotte area and in satellite offices in cities and towns around the Western Piedmont of North Carolina for over 60 years. Sanctuary Counseling Group currently has satellite offices in 17 locations in the Western and Central Piedmont.
Our Mission
Our mission is to walk with our clients as they journey towards the healing of their minds, hearts, and souls. We believe that health and healing are open to all.
To learn more about us and the kinds of services we provide, or to find out how to make an appointment with a therapist in your geographical area, feel free to contact us. We would love to hear from you.
Room In The Inn announcement/ Roof Above update
Joe Hamby <jhamby@roofabove.org>
Since 1996, Roof Above has partnered with colleges and congregations of many faiths to open their facilities to provide shelter and food for homeless people during the winter months, December 1 – March 31. If you don't have enough room at your own congregation, others congregations will open their space and let you supply the volunteers and meals.
Each site offers a warm, safe place to sleep, serves three meals (dinner, breakfast and bag lunch) and then returns guests the following morning to uptown Charlotte. The program offers a unique way for people of faith to become directly involved with individuals who are homeless. The basic goal is to keep homeless people from freezing on cold winter nights. A greater goal is to provide a more personal relationship to homeless people, at least for a night, and to foster a deeper understanding of the depth and complexity of the issue.
Joe is curently recruiting host congregations and schools -- note that you do not have to start on December 1. Reach out for more information.
The Kirkpatrick Foundation
Ellen Holliday <ellenholliday105@gmail.com>
The Kirpatrick Foundation facilitates education programs through a documentary film called A Binding Truth, written materials, and community discussions. The Foundation is committed to promoting justice, cross-cultural understanding, and equity by providing space for honest dialogue and healing. The film helps people confront the difficult truths about our shared history and begin to build a pathway for further discussion and action.
Various faith organizations have shown the film, utilized the two main speakers for Q&A, and facilitated group discussions to deepen knowledge based on experiences of others at the table. There are several options for an interactive and informative educational event based upon the needs of the congregation. Some organizations have chosen to partner together to offer an event which brings a greater richness to the questions and conversations.
A contact for learning more about how to plan an event is:
Ellen Holliday (Board member of the Kirkpatrick Foundation)
Three Bone Theater
Liberation
Written by Bess Wohl
Directed by Donna Bradby
Nov 6 - 22
Community Partners: YWCA Central Carolinas and NOW Charlotte
2026 Tony Award winner and 2026 Pulitzer winner
It’s 1970. Somewhere in Ohio, six women meet on a basketball court to form a consciousness-raising women's liberation group, determined to shake up their lives and change the world. Fifty years later, one of their daughters tries to understand where things fell apart.
A provocative, wildly theatrical play that poses vital questions about friendship, legacy and the true meaning of liberation, investigating what we inherit, what we forget, and what we’re still fighting to understand.
Advance Purchase Online: $32.30 inclusive of all taxes and fees
Night of Show at the Door: $37.55 inclusive of all taxes and fees
Students and Educators: $21.80 inclusive of all taxes and fees
Tickets:
Three Bone Theatre is Charlotte’s home for professional theatre.
Our mission is to use theatre as a catalyst for conversation and change in the Charlotte community. Currently kicking off our 15th season, Three Bone Theatre has consistently presented a slate of regional and national premieres of award-winning plays that focus on social issues and deeply human experiences. Each season we partner with four community organizations and hire around 50 local artists. We were recently named the 2024 North Carolina Professional Theatre Company of the Year by the North Carolina Theatre Conference. Our mainstage season is presented at The Arts Factory, located in Historic West End. Three Bone Theatre is committed to being an anti-racist, inclusive and accessible theatre company.
Tickets:
Healthy Meck's SNAP Community Education campaign
Alexander, Julie E<Julie.E.Alexander@advocatehealth.org>
Project & Program Coordinator, Healthy MeckDivision of Community & Social Impact, Department of Community HealthPhone: 704-355-0628
Healthy Meck has recently launched a SNAP Community Education Campaign to help people understand the benefits of SNAP to recipients, the community, our charitable food system, and the local economy. We are also working to help our community understand the impact of federal and state policy changes and the impact they will have on our community, and the funding available for local governments. Food Access and SNAP Community Education - Healthy Meck
We are a community health coalition that brings residents, organizations, and cross-sector partners together to help create the conditions for everyone in Mecklenburg County to stay well and thrive. Grounded in community input and local health data, the coalition works to promote greater health and fairness through partnership, shared action, and neighborly care. Healthy Meck currently focuses on helping residents be well-nourished, well-informed, and well-connected by strengthening access to healthy food, trusted information and resources, and community support and connection.
Charlotte Rescue Mission Thanksgiving Box Drive
Pam Beam <Pam.Beam@charlotterescuemission.org>
November 4 Update:
As of today, we are 1,556 boxes and 3,123 turkeys short. For all the details, send an email to:
or
Charlotte Rescue Mission Talking Points
· A little history – Started 14 years ago when we moved into Dove’s Nest to support the Reid Park community. We delivered 40 meals.
· It has continued to grow to over 6,600 families fed last year
· Our boxes contain a complete Thanksgiving meal along with a turkey (on the side) to serve a family of 4
· We provide boxes and turkeys to 22 non-profit agencies and 11 Title 1 schools. We do not serve individuals.
· Collection days are Friday 11/20 & Saturday 11/21
· This outreach gives our residents the opportunity to participate in a community service project. Their commitment to transforming their lives is evident in the dedication and pride they show while collecting and distributing the boxes and turkeys.
· We need to collect 5,500 to meet the need of the agencies we serve. To date, we are short by 2,500 boxes and 4,000 turkeys
· For all the details including box contents and delivery information, send an email to tgiving@crmclt.org
OTP Mobile Unit Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
November 16th at Hajee House, from 9 am to 12 noon.
Farah Laliwala<Farah.Laliwala@mcleodcenters.org>
RESOURCES FOR NONPROFITS
fftc:FWD
GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
LOCAL
Truist Championship's Birdies for Better program is back!
Birdies for Better invites nonprofits to raise funds by asking supporters to donate $20+ to guess the number of birdies made during the 2027 Truist Championship. Nonprofits keep 100% of donations and receive a share of a $100,000 bonus pool. The top five fundraisers will be named a “Charity of the Day” and receive an opportunity to connect with tournament attendees. Learn more and apply.
After a two-year hiatus, the County’s Community Service Grants are back!
Applications will be accepted from October 29 through November 25. Funds may be requested for 1 or 2 years.
LEARN MORE about eligibility: https://budget.mecknc.gov/services/community-service-grants
Interested organizations may attend an informational session on October 29 at 10am at the Valerie C. Woodard Resource Center.REGISTER FOR INFO SESSION: https://publicinput.com/H18563
Liz Graham Mecklenburg County Marketing Manager704-245-5715
Care for Your Neighborhood’s Tree Canopy
Keep Charlotte Beautiful and Landscape Management offer matching Tree Care Grants of up to $3,000 for neighborhood associations citywide. Eligible projects include invasive species removal, Bradford pear removal, canopy assessments, bark scale treatment, pruning, mulching and tree-related community events. Join the virtual workshop at 6 p.m. Applications are due Jan. 6. Register for the Tree Care Grant Workshop.
Community Microgrant Now Open: $500 to $3,000 for Neighborhood Projects
Applications are now open for the Community Microgrant, which supports short-term, resident-led projects that bring neighbors together, improve well-being or address neighborhood needs. Eligible neighborhood organizations, including HOAs and resident-led groups in rental communities, can request $500 to $3,000 with no matching contribution required.
Applications are reviewed as received through March 15, 2027, or until funds run out. Before applying, watch the required pre-application workshop recording. Submit applications through the HNS grant portal.
Here is the direct link to the grant opportunity, which also includes a link to the Application Tool Kit and the recording for the information session:https://fftcgrants.communityforce.com/Funds/FundDetails.aspx?496F49596D593768464E3537506B6F754D5442315A38647164526E64457874436B746867736B4F64647834416C527365646F56616C3774484E73737763613346466A4E446D756A4E387A383D
PRAYER FOR LEADERS
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