Giving Tuesday: Nonprofit focuses on getting more volunteers

CHARLOTTE — Instead of financial requests this year on Giving Tuesday, one local nonprofit is asking for your time.

Giving Tuesday marks an annual push to support nonprofits during the holiday season.

Channel 9 partners with Crisis Assistance Ministry for our “9 Coats for Kids” drive. And while the group receives lots of donations throughout the year, they rely on volunteers to get them ready for people getting them.

“With how cold it’s been lately, the amount of jackets we keep throwing in the bins, it’s incredible to see the support that’s coming out,” Philip Schneider, who’s volunteering with colleagues from Bank of America, told Channel 9′s Evan Donovan.

Last year, Crisis Assistance Ministry gave out nearly $6 million in rent and utility assistance.

“We always need financial support, because one of the things we do is provide financial assistance to people who need help with rent or utilities,” said Tovi Martin, with Crisis Assistance Ministry. “But we also need people.

Last fiscal year, volunteers gave more than 23,000 hours of their time helping distribute 1.6 million items of clothing, shoes, and household goods.

Janette Kinard works with one of the Ministry’s partner agencies, Champion House of Care. Kinard says she came to the organization after seeing kids without coats at the bus stop.

“I recognized they needed help, they needed coats, so I gave Crisis a call and they told me to come over and go shopping,” Kinard told Channel 9.

The nonprofit, Nourish Up, is also making a big push on this Giving Tuesday trying to raise $25,000 to deliver more fresh food to people who need it.

Nourish Up said its new 90,000-square-foot hunger hub has 10 times the fresh food storage of its old space.

The money the group raises will help get that food to people who use Nourish Up pantries, and its mobile food delivery customers.

Eventually, the coolers will store the food for a Meals on Wheels kitchen due to be completed next year.

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