CCM May 2021 Newsletter

MAY 2021
PERSPECTIVE
FROM THE FRONTLINES
CELEBRATING OUR 40TH YEAR OF RESTORING HOPE
From Our Executive Director, Ed Hosack
A MOTHER'S HEART
I heard once, “If you want to
balance the federal budget, give
the task to a single mom.” She
will do it and be fair to everyone.
We didn't intend to arrive at
this place in our country where
so many of our families are
single parent. But here we
are! Unfortunately, everything
today requires twice the energy,
twice the income and twice
the emotional reserve. For the past ten years, CCM’s
housing programs have placed priority on homeless
families. While continuing to serve single women, two
parent families and senior adults, over two-thirds of
the families we help transition from homeless to stable
housing are single parents, almost exclusively single
moms.
would not be overstating our position. We know there
are mothers in our community from every culture and
socio-economic background facing the challenges of
raising children on their own. For many, it means they
are constrained to a zip code and their children, to
limited expectations.
"The mother's heart is the
child's schoolroom."
- Henry Ward Beecher
In ten years our community’s three-year-olds will be in
Middle School, facing tough questions about who they
are, what they want to be in life and where they fit into
the fabric of our community. Our eight-year-olds will
be eighteen. These third graders will be voting, serving
We are not going to claim expertise, but “experienced” continued »

A MOTHER'S HEART, cont.
in our military, choosing career paths and starting
families. A poet once wrote "The mother's heart is
the child's schoolroom.” Solomon said, in Proverbs
1:8; “do not forsake your mother's teaching.”
Single moms (and single dads) need our help.
Greater possibilities for their children require a
community who will reserve judgment and replace it
with compassion and hope; changing the equation
to allow greater outcomes.
Cabarrus County is accelerating toward the
crossroads of economic development and quality of
life. As the drivers of our own future we must give
attention to the signs and the signals warning us
now. The greatest opportunity for an impact on our
future, in the present, is to eliminate food insecurity
and ensure safe stable housing for every child. A
better vision for our community requires action and
investment right now.
Another poet said, “The hand that rocks the cradle,
is the hand that rules the world.” Let's give her a
chance, or a second chance and see what a little
help can do.
Isaiah 66:13 “as a mother comforts her child, so will I
comfort you.”
Woman, how divine your mission,
Here upon our natal sod;
Keep—oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
- William Ross Wallace
PATH TO STABILITY MODEL
MY FATHER'S
HOUSE
MOTHERS & CHILDREN
CCM's Path to HOUSING Stability Model
TEACHING
HOUSING PROGRAM
MY FATHER'S HOUSE MOTHERS & CHILDREN HOUSING TEACHING HOUSING PROGRAM
Academic Stability
Healthcare Access
Food Security
Emergency Housing
Homelessness & Housing Crisis
Affordable Housing
Supportive Housing
Market Access
Income Growth
Social Connection
Credit & Debt Repair
Workplace Stability
Transitional Housing
The Path to Affordable Housing…

We recently asked mothers in our Housing Program
these two questions...
“Being a mom is
everything to me,
the good and
the bad.”
WHAT DOES BEING A MOTHER
MEAN TO YOU?
“Being a mother to me means
that I can have my children look
up to me and see that life isn’t
perfect but as long as we stay
strong with each other, then
we can accomplish
“Also just to have me here
with my children and tell them
how I grew up in comparison
to how they are growing up
brings us as a family
unit closer
together.”
anything.” “Being a mother has changed
“Being a mom is so
rewarding, seeing his face is
everything to me. I just
know everything is
going to be
OK.”
me as an individual; it created
more positive characteristics
in me. There’s no perfection in
parenting so I’ve also learned
how to be more forgiving
towards myself
and her.”
HOW HAS BEING INVOLVED IN THE
CCM HOUSING PROGRAM HELPED TO
SHAPE YOU AS A MOTHER?
“I am way less
stressed, which allows
me to create more
space in my head for
peace.”
“It makes me
proud to be a part
of a program that helped my
family out of a tough spot. It
taught me that it can happen
to anyone and it showed me
how to talk to them about
being without and
money goals.”
“It allowed me to
put pride to the side
and ask for help. When you
are in a situation and you look
at your children and you feel
that you can't do any more
and you have this housing
program who said yes when
all the other doors were
closing.”
“It has
taught me
new ways to
discipline my
kids.”
“I used most of
my savings before
coming here, and
I worried about
college, but being
here now has
brought me
hope.”

Gentle and lowly in heart...a Father to the fatherless.
From Our Director Of
Community Engagement, Jeremy Burleson
THE HEART OF JESUS
Jesus gives a description of HIS heart in Matthew 11:28-30 by saying “... for I am
gentle and lowly in heart.” Gentle, in this sense, is a posture most natural to Him… not
to point a finger, but to be approachable. Lowly, generally translated as “humble”, is
an often-used adjective by believers when describing the welcoming nature of Jesus
throughout His Ministry here on earth.
Similarly, the hearts of those that CCM
serves day in and day out frequently reflect
the same characteristics of that of Jesus.
That is certainly not surprising when you
consider James 1:27, which reads:
“Religion that is pure and
undefiled before God the Father is
this: to visit orphans and widows in
their affliction and to keep oneself
unstained from the world.”
Even as these CCM residents and clients endeavor to achieve stability for their families while
facing what may seem like insurmountable obstacles, they do so with a HOPE that can only
come from a Savior… A Savior that promises to protect and guard those that are His!
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. Psalm 68:5
Brighter futures await those in our community facing these insecurities, and we CAN HELP!
We can ACT and INVEST right now! And here’s how:
PRAY
PARTNER WITH CCM
That God would allow you to experience a desire
in your heart for humility and gentleness… to GIVE
back.
For CCM and our Cabarrus County communities
as we begin to implement the 2025 New Horizon
Strategic Plan, as that plan specifically speaks to a
better outcome for our community.
Through VOLUNTEERING
cooperativeministry.com/donate-food/volunteer
Through FOOD DONATIONS
cooperativeministry.com/donate-food
Through FINANCIAL & IN-KIND SUPPORT
cooperativeministry.com/by-mail/online-donations
Next Mobile Food Pantry
Thursday, May 13
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Elevation Church Parking Lot
545 Concord Parkway North (old K-Mart)
2021 Mobile Food Pantry Schedule

save
THE DATES
Thank You!
Bethpage Presbyterian Church
of Kannapolis, sponsor of the
April Mobile Food Pantry.
DINNER
MONDAY OCTOBER 4, 2021
Crossroads Church
220 George W Liles Pkwy,
Concord, NC 28027
GOLF CLASSIC
TUESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2021
The Club at Irish Creek
1196 Fairway Drive, Kannapolis, NC
Forest Hill United Methodist
Church and Connect Christian
Church, sponsors of the May
Mobile Food Pantry.
Earth Fare and Crave Hot Dogs
& BBQ for inviting CCM to
receive food rescue donations.
Early Technology College
and Ben Mynatt Chevrolet for
coordinating a food drive to
support CCM.
CelebrateHopeCCM.com
Cabarrus Brewing/Rotary/
Cabarrus Run Club for your
recent food drive supporting
CCM!
WHAT WILL YOUR
LEGACY BE?
WSOC and Arby’s for
conducting a food drive from
May 1 through June 30, 2021…
benefiting struggling families.
Create your life-changing
legacy... REMEMBER
Cooperative Christian Ministry
in your estate plan.
Legacy Giving ensures the
sustainability of charitable
causes you care about without
impacting your immediate
finances.
It’s not about the size of your gift—it’s about sending the
message that your values will live on far into the future.
Our gifts added together create a powerful impact for
generations to come.
For more information email:
mylegacy@cooperativeministry.com
THANK YOU!
to all the volunteers for the
spirit of I Love My City 2021.
Let's Keep It Going!!

YOU'RE INVITED
BUSINESS BREAKFAST
MAY 18, 2021
City Club at Gibson Mill
Doors open at 7:00 AM
7:15 AM Breakfast, 7:30 AM Program
We are excited about
the opening of the
Cabarrus Dream Center!
FEATURE PRESENTATION
LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE
RSVP by May 14, 2021
Jamie Richardson
jrichardson@cooperativeministy.com
CLICK TO
REGISTER NOW
Roxanna Books,
Financial Assistance Program Manager
and Pam Smith,
Director of Education & Support Services
are on site, joining 12 partner organizations
in one location at The Dream Center.
We specialize in small and large repairs, renovations,
and restorations for residential and commercial properties.
VISIT: R2Rcanhelp.com
246 Country Club Drive NE, PO Box 1717
Concord, NC 28026 TEL: 704-786-4709
GIVE ONLINE: www.CooperativeMinistry.com or TEXT: ccmhelps to 44321