Stories

Storytelling is such an important part of our community, and we work hard to amplify voices that represent those who care deeply about the Triangle and those who work hard to make it a better place for everyone.

All Stories Blog
Stories: Scholarships

Helping People Finish What They Started

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On the long drive home together from the beach, Martin Nystrom staved off the usual fatherly lectures. Instead, he enjoyed his son’s company, just the two of them. Joseph, age 24, controlled the radio, and pried at his father to…
Stories: Community Development

Winning the Lottery: Connecting with Barker French

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W. Barker French is perfectly at ease sitting in a blue plastic school chair at East Durham Children’s Initiative (EDCI). His comfort is understandable; for the past eight years, French has spent lot of time with EDCI, volunteering first as…
Stories: Donor Stories

The Product of Opportunity

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He seems to own any room he enters. With his boisterous and booming voice, “Cheshire cat” smile, and colorful suits, without knowing Farad Ali, you might assume that he was born into a privileged life. But you’d be wrong. “I…
Stories: Donor Stories

A Legacy of Giving: Tips for Family Philanthropy

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“Hi Nana and Grandpa,” the email began, “After some serious consideration, I would like to donate my $500 to the Ocean Conservancy.” Nana and Grandpa, local residents who started a donor-advised fund when they moved to the area 14 years…
Stories: Community Development

The Gift of Land

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“I am sure everyone can find their equilibrium between enjoying life and philanthropy,” says Ish Sud. It’s about making choices. It’s differentiating between what is important and what is not. It’s perhaps spending judiciously on larger items, sacrificing symbols of…
Stories: Community Development

Busting Myths and Making Change

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It’s a gray Friday morning, but the East Durham Children’s Initiative (EDCI) halls are bright with color and song. Over the muffled chorus of the children’s song “Baby Shark”, David Reese and Barker French share the core beliefs that steer…
Stories: Regional Cultural Arts

Hayti Heritage Center: Steadfast Through Progress

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Housed in the Nationally Historic St. Joseph’s African Methodist Episcopal Church, Hayti Heritage Center opened its doors in 1975 and since that time it’s been a cultural hub for the African American community with diverse arts programs and events for…
Stories: Environmental Conservation

Creating Connections Between Culture and Nature

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Traveling around the Triangle, we see traffic congestion while commuting to and from work, new apartment buildings in the skyline, and more and more construction of highways and roads. These are just results of the Triangle’s popularity across the country…
Blog: Triangle Community Foundation

How to be a Conservationist on Earth Day, and Every Day

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Sarah Guidi, Program Officer; and Jessica Aylor, VP of Community Engagement Wait, am I a conservationist? In January I became Triangle Community Foundation’s newest Program Officer. One of my main responsibilities is to manage our Environmental Conservation Program. Over these…
Blog: Triangle Community Foundation

What does it really mean to thrive?

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This post is part of a series written by Foundation Board members from their own perspective, when asked to think about what a thriving community could look like. This series will run leading up to our What Matters event on …