Common Heart Inc

Common Heart, Inc is a grassroots 501 (c) (3) organization that fosters volunteercommunity action to address specific issues of hunger and poverty focusing on Union County, NC and surrounding areas. We are located in Indian Trail NC. “Bridging the Gap. Transforming Lives.” is a summation of the mission. We do this through mobilizing volunteers, creating resources, advocacy, networking and creating awareness.

Common Heart began in 2006 (as Common Heart Missional Community) when four friends embarked on a journey to create ways to bridge the gap for families in need. The desire that motivated them was to be personally active in addressing practical needs. What started as four friends delivering groceries to a few hungry neighbors has become a local grassroots movement of several hundred volunteers. They deliver groceries, visit families, develop friendships, and address very practical needs in a very personal, relational, neighborly way.

One of the hallmarks of this movement is showing love by meeting practical needs, listening, caring, praying and just being friends with our neighbors in need. From the beginning we have served mostly families with children.

Eight years later Common Heart operates three focused outreaches Common Cupboard, the food pantry, was our initial outreach that began with the founding of the organization in July 2006 has grown to two sites serving 19,858 people in 2013. Common Things Thrift Store opened in May 2011 providing a variety of goods at below retail prices. It grew out of Common Heart’s “nearly-free” warehouse (2008) which provides low income families with items like used couches, beds, kitchen tables and refrigerators at very nominal fees. CONNECTS opened in February 2012 beginning initially with a resource network and our Free Tax Service. In November 2014 we expanded our services by opening the first and only Certified Application Counselor Center in Union County assisting families seeking to get health insurance through the online exchange and look forward to providing other services through professional volunteers.

In May of 2014 we began an expansion that would separate our programs into two facilities, Common Things, housing the Thrift Store and general offices and The Commonplace Community Resource Center the site for Common Cupboard and the programs of CONNECTS.  We are excited about the expansion of our services and the opportunities to serve that lie ahead.