Our every other week check-in meeting is open to anyone interested in supporting compassionate community response to our most vulnerable neighbors. 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.
Want to learn more about we do on our calls? Watch this short video clip!
Click Here to Access Zoom Recording:
In this Issue:
IMPORTANT DATES
10/28, 6-7:30 PM: BCDI Membership Body Meeting
10/29, 3-6 PM: BCDI Reading Check Up Party
10/29, 10-2 PM: National Drug Take Back Day at Mint Hill Police Station
11/5, 11 AM - 3 PM: BCDI Literacy on the Lawn at Devonshire Elementary
11/9, 10-noon: MeckMIN Letter-stuffing party at Park Road Baptist Church
11/10, 11AM: MeckMIN Leaders meeting
11/15, 12 PM: Food for Thought: Moving Beyond Myth
11/19, 10 AM -12 PM: Health Resources: Connecting w/Resources focused on Equality
11/22, 6:45 -9 PM: MeckMIN Community-Wide Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
11/24: NO CHECK-IN MEETING ON THANKSGIVING DAY
12/3, 11 AM - 1 PM: Care Ring at parking lot of the Children & Family Services Center building
12/10, 11 AM - 2 PM: Urban League Coats Giveaway
12/13-17: Giving Machines at Promenade at Providence
12/14, 12 – 4 PM: Wedgewood Church Immigrant Holiday Bazaar
12/16: Canopy Realtor® Association Holiday Awards Luncheon
Opening Reflection
A young woman once said to an older woman, “What is life’s heaviest burden?” And the older woman said, ‘To have nothing to carry.”
1. MeckMIN Updates
THE POTATO DROP
This was a great success! Thank you to all who came.
POTLUCKS FOR PLURALISM
We debuted a new program, yesterday – we had almost 100 students from seven local colleges and universities having dinner and conversation on the topic Tribalism 101. This is the first event in a four-year program funded by the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.
LETTER - STUFFING PARTY – Help with our Fall Fundraising Campaign
November 9 – 10 a.m. to 12 noon
We need volunteers – sign up HERE to help stuff envelopes for fundraising letters. We very much need a solid response to keep MeckMIN moving.
IN PERSON FOOD FOR THOUGHT | MOVING BEYOND MYTH
November 15 | 12 - 1 PM | Covenant Presbyterian Church
Lunch starts at 11:30 AM.
Join us on Tuesday, November 15 at 12 PM at Covenant Presbyterian Church for Moving beyond Myth which will focus on the stereotypes and misinformation about Indigenous people that we've all learned from school or the media. During this interactive workshop, participants will reflect on their experiences learning about Indigenous people in school, and how these lessons were often rooted in untruths that have crystallized over time. We will work to deconstruct these stereotypes and to recognize the authenticity and complexity of actual Indigenous identity, both contemporarily and historically. Register here
ANNUAL COMMUNITY-WIDE INTERFAITH THANKSGIVING SERVICE Tuesday, November 22 | 7 - 9 PM (Prelude to begin at 6:45 PM) Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church
The 2022 Community-Wide Interfaith Thanksgiving Service will include Indigenous Carolina Catawba, Lumbee, and Tuscarora artists and activists in crafting a service that incorporates their traditional and current practices to address the mythmaking around the traditional Thanksgiving story, offer a truer and more complete story, and suggest actions toward justice that attendees and MeckMIN can take. While deeply rooted in Indigenous history and traditions, the service will be accessible to people of all faiths.
We gather each year on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and the service is a delightful reminder of the rich and growing diversity of our community. We hope you'll mark your calendar and plan to join us!
Register here
If you too are excited about this opportunity, please consider becoming a sponsor of the service to enable us to equitably compensate the Indigenous leaders who are assisting with the service. The lead sponsorship is available for $5,000, and there are additional opportunities available for individuals, congregations, businesses, and fellow nonprofits ranging from $3,000 to $250.
Click here to sponsor this event. Click here to see our sponsorship opportunities
THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE
We are seeking congregations and nonprofits willing to serve as drop off spots for our annual Loaves & Fishes food drive. L & F makes it easy – they drop off and pick up the boxes. You would ask your members to contribute AND allow us to publish you as a drop off location for MeckMIN members. You would just need to tell us when/how you would be accepting donations – E.g. – Drop offs can be made from 10 am to 2 pm Monday through Friday in our office OR A box will be available on our circle drive and will be accessible 24/7 from November 7-20.
Please email LeDayne if you are willing to be a drop off location.
FAITH, COMMUNITY & NON-PROFIT LEADERS THANKSGIVING MEETING
Thanksgiving meeting schedule: one of our regular Thursday meetings will fall on Thanksgiving. So we’ll meet November 10 and then next on December 8.
PANDEMIC UPDATES
Tamara Hawkins | Tamara.Hawkins@mecklenburgcountync.gov
Covid:
We are at the lowest point for all metrics for the entire year. We have averaged @14K vaccine doses over 2 weeks, many are first doses. We are at @40% of Meck residents have received at least one dose. Most current cases are among 5-11 year olds. 0-11 years are the least vaccinated residents. IF you work with younger population, speak with parents and caregivers about the need for vaccinations. Bi-valent boosters available. New variants so likely increases coming in winter. Covid weekly report attached.
Flu:
Looking at Australia, flu season was pretty bad and that is usually a good indicator of what we can expect here. We encourage flu vaccines as soon as possible. Earlier the better. Get the booster and flu at the same time. COVID precautions are also helpful against flu. Flu resources: Mecklenburg County Flu Resources
2. Non-Profit Updates
ANOTHER CHANCE HOLIDAY SPONSORSHIPS
Shakieta Maloye | info@anotherchanceclt.org
Here at ACHR, we strive to not only help those we house but to help the Charlotte community as a whole because we believe "It Takes a Village!" Since opening in 2019, we have sponsored families annually for the holidays, providing meals, clothing, and gifts to parents and children. This year is no different!
Want to sponsor a family? Send us an email at info@anotherchanceclt.org
We accept clothing and food donations at 1818 Kennesaw Dr., Charlotte, NC 28216, Monday - Friday between 10 am and 6 pm. We accept monetary donations through our website. Donate HERE
GIVNG MACHINES
Kristen Anderson | andersonkw@comm.churchofjesuschrist.org
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | 704-604-4617
This is a new addition to the annual Light the World initiative. It encourages through the month of December to share kindness and love with non-profit partners. Part is “Light the World: giving machines”. Watch the Video here. The vending machines will be here Dec 13-17. Right in the middle of the Promenade on Providence shopping center from 10-4, RSS and Loaves and Fishes, and Church World Services are among the nonprofits supported. There will also be an opening ceremony on 12/12 at 5:30 with a ribbon cutting and more.
CARE RING
Stephanie Malloy | smalloy@careringnc.org
RHIA, 704.248.3739, Mobile: 980-425-0681
The Seasonal Stroll will be held in the parking lot of the Children & Family Services Center building. Families will visit each car to pick up gifts for themselves and their child(ren). Light refreshments and photo opportunities will be available. 300 families are expected to attend this year’s celebration on Dec 3 from 11 AM - 1 PM.
Families enrolled in our maternal and Child Health program receive support with pregnancy health, child health, goal setting, and resource connections. Help us create memories for these deserving parents and their young children (birth to 3 years old)!
Volunteers are needed to ensure the event runs smoothly. We are seeking volunteers and donations. Sign up HERE
FREEDOM SCHOOL
George Metz | Chief Strategy Officer | 704-371-4922 Ext 229
Recruiting college students now and they are very excited.
We are also looking to partner with our congregational and non-profit colleagues. Please reach out to George to find out more about the program and opportunities to partner. If your ministry supports kids and learning, please reach out.
LOAVES AND FISHES / FRIENDSHIP TRAYS
Lindsey Houser | Community Engagement Coordinator | lindsey@loavesandfishes.org
Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays | 648 Griffith Road, Suite B Charlotte, NC 28217
(704) 343-5031 | www.loavesandfishes.org | www.friendshiptrays.org
Holiday time always sees an uptick in need. Please refer to us anyone who you think needs and would welcome a week’s worth of groceries. Clients can come up to 12x/year. If you are not a referring partner but would like to be one, reach out to Lindsey to become one.
Friendship Trays is for those who cannot provide meals for themselves, no referral needed. Please reach out for more info.
We need food donations, and volunteer drivers. SO please share these needs with others. They also need more staff members and are hiring. We are especially looking for Warehouse assistance which requires a standard Driver’s license and a clean driving record.
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
Lauren Rogers | lrogers@ihclt.org Director of Community Engagement | 704-333-8099 ext. 110
International House has published our full schedule for ESL and Citizenship-Prep classes for 2023. Registration will open in November for the session starting in January. The schedule is up on our website and attached to this email. Students can also register on our website.
Cultural Sensitivity Training is off the ground! We just launched this new 4-hour professional development workshop for service providers to learn about best practices for navigating cultural differences, communication strategies to use when you’re working with an interpreter or using translation services, etc. The schedule is up on our website, and there’s also a flyer attached to this email.
We continue to be a mobile health unit site every other Thursday from 10AM -3 PM at IH, from now through December. We’re likely to host the unit again in the spring
Beginning in November, we’ll be partnering with CCLA to be a Health Insurance Navigator Site on Mondays from 9:30-4:30 to help individuals and families enroll in affordable health insurance, update existing policies, etc. This program will continue during the open enrollment period from November-January.
WEDGEWOOD CHURCH / FOOD PANTRY
Liz Schob | ebschob@gmail.com
Zero barrier food pantry every week. No id, no paperwork requested.
We used to be near Clanton and 77 but we are now in N Tryon, across from NODA brewing.
We have seen an enormous increase in need and people showing up.
Our lack of tracking means there are grants we don’t qualify for. We expect an increase in need during the holidays.
The Community Food Pantry sponsored by Wedgewood Community Church and Hearts United for Good is gearing up for the holidays and asking folks to help us stock our shelves for our Thanksgiving turkey giveaway. We are also asking folks to please consider donating turkeys. Last year, we gave out 150 turkeys plus boxed sides to families in need and we are trying to meet that goal again this year.
LATIN AMERICAN COALITION
Weekly meeting to help asylum seekers arriving mostly from Venezuela and Nicaragua without connections or sponsors. If you are interested in those meetings, reach out to LeDayne.
Plus on Nov 19th there will be an event aimed at these newly arrived families – a drive through event with health screening and winter clothes donations. If your organization can offer support to these folks, reach out to LeDayne.
BCDI - CHARLOTTE
Karita Pimentel | karita@bcdi-charlotte.org
Family Literacy Engagement Specialist Membership, BCDI-Charlotte Affiliate
416 McCullough Drive Suite 225, Charlotte, NC 28262
980-237-0122 ext 103 | 980-920-2488 - Direct Line
Oct 28: Join us THIS Friday at Jason's Deli for encouraging conversation, updates, and much more. Sign up HERE
Oct 29: Food Lion on WT Harris Blvd food drive
If you are interested in volunteering for the event please sign up HERE
Nov 5: Devonshire Elementary Literacy on the Lawn
DIAPER BANK OF NC - CHARLOTTE
Avery Payne | avery@ncdiaperbank.org
Still building up volunteer base. If you are interested in volunteering, reach out (packing orders, counting and more).
Also looking for hotspot donation sites.
Donation drives: several people have done this but we want to increase the number of donations with that. Diapers/period products/adult incontinence products
QUEENS CUPBOARD
Jenny Kendrick | jakendrick@outlook.com
Dilworth Rotary | https://www.dilworthcharities.org/the-queens-cupboard
If you have a food pantry with shelves available and you want non-food items on your shelves, we can offer them
URBAN LEAGUE
April Turner | April.turner@urbanleaguecc.org
Outreach Event at DICE location – health screenings, vaccines and we will be giving away NEW Macy’s coats. So please promote this event. Dec 10 – 11 AM - 2 PM. You will need to be present to get a coat. Can’t take them home for others. If you can’t make the event, you can register to come to Urban League and get a coat. Reach out to April for more info.
3. General Information
NATIONAL DRUG TAKE BACK DAY
Patrice Brown (She, Her, Hers) | patriceb@carolinascare.org
Rx ACE Project Program Manager | 704-891-2624,
Join us this Saturday, October 29 from 10 AM - 2 PM at Mint Hill Police station for National Drug Take Back Day for an opportunity to dispose of all those old medications.
FREE ROOMS AT THE LIBRARY
Non-profits can book the library community and work rooms for free. Here is the full list of rooms, capacity and info: Reserve a Room | Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
GIVE IMPACT OPPORTUNITY FOR POTENTIAL OFFICE SPACE!
The Presbytery of Charlotte has a unique opportunity to re-envision the life and purpose of The Plaza Presbyterian Church campus. Give Impact is issuing a Request for Interest to gauge which organizations feel they could have an ongoing role in the life of this campus and to identify needs that could be solved through creative use of this asset. Please fill out this form to indicate your interest in various capacities: sub-tenant, master tenant, collaborator, developer or contractor, property/asset manager, funder, stakeholder.
PRAYER FOR NONPROFIT LEADERS
It is not your obligation to complete your work, but you are not at liberty to quit.
– The Talmud