Common Heart Inc

Programs: Food pantries common heart operates 6 local food pantries in union county, nc. These include 2 traditional walk-in pantries, and 3 mobile pantries. Each of these are operated with the partnership of a local church. Additionally, our legacy delivery based pantry, common cupboard has operated since 2006. This pantry began as a way for caring people to serve hungry families by delivering a weeks worth of groceries. The key dynamic of our pantries is the infusion of intentional active kindness building relationships across socio-economic, racial, and ethnic boundaries. In 2017 our 250 monthly and weekly volunteers joined with 200 occasional volunteers to provde a weeks worth of groceries to 7,891 families 25,601 individuals. Over 550,000 pounds of food were distributed representing over 300,000 meals.

common things thrift store began in 2011 provides a variety of processed donations including clothing, books, toys, household items, and small furniture at significantly below market value as a service to the community. Additionally, the store is often the first introduction to common hearts work and connects hungry families and other families in need with services. 30 regular volunteers and over 100 occasional and community service volunteers form the backbone of this store. Additionally, the store provides training and service opportunities to many in the community including adult residential facilities, halfway houses, court mandated, educational, and work first clients.

economic empowerment / connects our economic empowerment program is designed to help families stabilize their environment and build resources towards economic mobility. Economic empowerment / connects has been the vehicle to help stabilize a family through networking and direct assistance. We raise funds to assist families through our local church and community partners and directly through facebook to meet a specific families needs for utility, housing or other assistance. Additionally, we assist families in obtaining health insurance and medicare through onsite partnerships. Our free tax service has been assisting families for 6 years in 2017 serving 529 families. In 2017 we began beta-testing getting ahead in a just gettin by world graduating 16 individuals living in poverty from our 40 hour program. This program pays these individuals to participate in a focus/empowerment group that meets weekly. Bridges out of poverty workshops continue to train professionals and volunteers preparing them to work more effectively with individuals and families in poverty.