Go out into the world and do well, but more importantly go out into the world and do good. ~ Anonymous
What happens when one neighbor gets an idea that could help a whole lot of people? Well, Peter Kazella - a new neighbor of MINE at the Falls of Weddington - had the great idea to see how small group of people can make a BIG difference.
Peter, a father of four, relocated to Union County 18 months ago with his wife, their Chief Chaos Manager CEO of their house. They immediately and immersed themselves into this community, and when the pandemic started picking up speed here in Charlotte, he was compelled to do something to both support our most vulnerable population (the homeless) as well as the local businesses that are undoubtedly struggling through this.
It all started with a post on the neighborhood Facebook Page. Peter wanted to help some local businesses AND our most vulnerable community - the homeless. A week later, we had 13 neighbors and roughly $850 - which was enough to feed 40 shelter residents breakfast on Saturday and Sunday plus a lunch from Peter's favorite spot: Stack's Kitchen in Waxhaw. Not only did the neighbors contribute to this, but Peter's own kids surprised him by offering up their own money to this worth cause.
After speaking with Peter, I reached out to his contact at the Community Shelter of Union County, Development Director, Jeff Rogers, to talk about how this food has impacted his community. He shared with me the storied history of the Community Shelter and some of the recent developments that have made managing the needs of our community easier during this time of uncertainty.
Jeff shared that currently the Shelter serves 40 residents, in order to balance both social distancing and need. Beyond that, the shelter runs a food pantry that serves any resident of Union County in need. All that's required is proof of residency - no questions asked. This drive-thru pantry is available on Friday nights, starting at 6 p.m. at 160 Meadow St. in Monroe. Across from the Farmers Market on Skyway Drive.
And, despite the fact that the housing market has tightened, the Community Shelter of Union County has been able to rehouse 19 households! That's an astonishing number given the circumstances. Further, the shelter has distributed more than 5,000 bags of groceries the past seven weeks to food-insecure neighbors.
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"Going forward," Jeff says, "there are particular challenges:"
- The shutdown threatens our major fundraisers, which include a golf tournament in the spring that we’ve pushed to Oct. 7, and our major gala on Sept. 19. We’re awaiting word, as everyone else, on when we’ll be able to gather again.
- The economic fallout of the shutdown hurts businesses, which are a major component of our donor base. And obviously, with 14.5 percent unemployment, we expect to see a drop in donations from individuals. Stock market declines will surely impact our private foundation grants going forward.
- We have placed nearly 600 households over the past six years in permanent housing. Many of them are only a missed paycheck or two from facing an eviction. We have already begun financial assistance eviction relief and are preparing for a wave of former clients to need our services going forward.
- Should the economy take longer to rebound, we anticipate a wave of clients who have never needed our services.
If you think that your neighborhood or group of friends are looking to do something, this is an amazing way to give back to our own community. Peter shared with me that of the $15M in grant money that the area received to help serve this at-risk community, Union County received ZERO dollars. That's right. Union County was excluded. So, now's the time to really pitch in to make a difference. Even the smallest donations go a long way!
For more information about the Community Shelter of Union County click here. To make a donation, click here.
