Nonprofit Stories
Partners for Environmental Justice | A Powerful Force for Change
In the 1990s, Partners for Environmental Justice (PEJ) and Triangle Community Foundation developed a partnership that has continued to deepen ever since. One of PEJ’s first initiatives as an organization was funded by the Foundation, marking the largest grant awarded at the time. PEJ grew out of its community of origin south of the Walnut…
Pupusas for Education | Closing the Opportunity Gap
Meet Jeymi and Cecilia, two young immigrant community organizers who have channeled their own experiences into building an organization for transformative community change. Since 2016, Pupusas for Education has been committed to closing the opportunity gap in access and affordability to higher education opportunities through scholarships and services for undocumented and DACAmented students in Orange,…
NC Congress of Latino Organizations | Addressing Systemic Issues in the Community
The NC Congress of Latino Organizations (NCCLO) was established in 2002 as a nonpartisan statewide entity for Spanish-speaking families to unite and develop the leadership needed to effectively address systemic problems in their communities. Since inception NCCLO has partnered with Latino religious congregations, nonprofits, and civic organizations at the local level to develop capacity in…
El Vínculo Hispano | A Safe Space for the Community
“Our community wants what everyone wants – a roof over their heads, to own a home, peace and safety in their communities, not to be discriminated against, access to opportunities, a good education, a good paying job, a driver’s license, documentation, a path to citizenship, healthcare.” – Ilana Dubester, Executive Director, El Vínculo Hispano There…
BUMP: The Triangle | The Power of Passion for the Arts
BUMP’s origins began in Boston as the Boston Urban Music Project founded by Georgiary Bledsoe. Dr. Bledsoe relocated the organization to NC in 2012 where it has evolved into BUMP: The Triangle and Joy Harrell Goff serves as a “re-founder,” guiding the future direction of the organization. Upon arrival in Durham in 2012, BUMP focused…
Arts Access NC | Connecting Art to All in the Community
“We are a connector of people – people to opportunities, people to arts, and people to organizations.” – Eileen Bagnall, Executive Director, Arts Access NC In 1984, an organization emerged with the goal of increasing accessibility to the arts for people with disabilities here in the Triangle. Arts Access NC’s first project was providing wheelchairs…
Diamante Arts and Cultural Center | Diversifying the Community’s Art Sector
“We serve artists, performers, cultural advocates, arts and cultural organizations, art supporters, and the general public seeking to preserve, develop, and promote the cultures, heritage and artistic expressions of the diverse Latino/Hispanic communities in North Carolina.” – Lizette Cruz Watko, Founder and Executive Director, Diamante Arts and Cultural Center Lizette Cruz Watko founded North Carolina’s…
Urban Community AgriNomics | Growing the Roots of Service
The moment you turn into Catawba Trail Farm, you are immediately transported. It feels unfathomable that downtown Durham is just six miles away. The trees, grass, gardens, birds chirping, and overall tranquility feels magical. You just need to exchange a few words with Delphine Sellars, Executive Director of Urban Community AgriNomics (UCAN), to quickly realize…
Marian Cheek Jackson Center | Honoring & Building Community
“That’s the story to tell and story to celebrate; how this neighborhood once again has come together creatively to determine its future.” – George Barrett, Executive Director Below: The Northside Residential Fellows and Linking Generations in Northside cohort join together for a neighborhood potluck. In the mid-2000s, the Northside neighborhood of Chapel Hill was at…
Kiran | Breaking the Cycle of Abuse
Imagine being a young mother, married as an early teen, whose husband was not working regularly, and whose children were beginning to starve. Imagine taking matters into your own hands and getting a job at a retail store, and being beaten for taking the initiative to provide for your family because it was “against your…
TheGifted Arts | The Transformative Power of the Arts
Open the doors of TheGifted Arts studio on a Saturday morning and you can immediately feel the energy. The thumping beat of the music, the encouraging call outs from the instructors, and the students enthusiastically participating in the creative process. The atmosphere is electric. TheGifted Arts’ co-founders CJ and Nicholé Morgan recognized the value of…
Pee Wee Homes | Small Homes, Big Impact
Founding Board Members at the site of the homes at the Advocate – seated at the front is namesake Nathaniel “Pee Wee” Lee. In 2017, a small group of affordable housing advocates with ties to community-based organizations like the Marian Cheek Jackson Center, Inter-Faith Council for Social Services (IFC), and Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) decided…