Non-profits

Durham resident Aidil Ortiz’s work- “A love letter to Durham”

By Stella Griffin

May 9, 2024

“I think that if you are a person who wants to feel sane, in any capacity, there’s a certain amount of reckoning and submission to the fact that the only constant is change,” she said. 

Ortiz embraces this constant in both her own life and in the city of Durham, which has grown with her.

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Angela Thorpe-Mason’s Spirit Work at the Pauli Murray Center

By Corinna Collins

May 7, 2024

Angela Thorpe-Mason brings mindfulness, spirit and expertise to her role as executive director of the Pauli Murray Center, as exhibited in her conversation with the Durham Voice on April 29. 
“For me, cultural heritage work and stewarding the Pauli Murray Center is something I call spirit work,” Thorpe-Mason said.

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Shelters in North Carolina provide temporary refuge for abandoned pets as demand rises

By Danelis Olivera-Herrera

May 1, 2024

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 By Danelis Olivera-Herrera Animals surrendered to animal control or abandoned often face fending for themselves on the streets or death. North Carolina is one of many states where the demand for animal rescue exceeds available fostering and adoption resources, particularly in the Triangle, Wilmington, Winston-Salem and Charlotte areas. Various shelters and […]

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Kramden Institute seeks to bridge the digital divide

By Danelis Olivera-Herrera

Tuesday, April 30, 2024 By Danelis Olivera-Herrera Owning a computer can be smooth sailing with no technical glitches for many years, or it can be fraught with issue after issue with the slightest twist of a cable disabling the screen for good. And if the latter happens, you can send your computer to the Kramden […]

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El Futuro fosters cultural understanding in Latino mental health care

By Nayeli Jaramillo-Plata

April 24, 2024

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 By Nayeli Jaramillo-Plata Daira Hernandez-Gayosso chose to have her high school graduation pictures taken in a garden outside of El Futuro, a local mental health clinic. For her, that garden signifies the mental and physical growth she experienced because of the services provided by this nonprofit. El Futuro offers therapy, psychiatry […]

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Inspiring Minds; changing lives, one kid at a time

By Maya Waid

April 22, 2024

Bree Elzy and Deryck Toles would meet in the same McDonald’s once a month. Soon, it turned into weekly meetings. One day, one of the kids asked Elzy and Toles a question that would change their future plans. 

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Durham’s food pantries face challenges as demand surges amid rising costs

By Danelis Olivera-Herrera

April 19, 2024

Friday, April 19, 2024 By Danelis Olivera-Herrera As the food bank deliveryman made his way inside the Iglesia Emanuel food pantry, carrying a dozen boxes, he stopped as he saw Margaret Rubiera, the volunteer manager. He told her there is less than usual, and he isn’t sure why. “It’s definitely less, but we’re grateful,” Rubiera […]

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Q&A: World Relief Durham’s Adam Clark engages community to help ‘immigrants thrive’

By Danelis Olivera-Herrera

April 10, 2024

Friday, March 15, 2024 By Danelis Olivera-Herrera Adam Clark has served as the executive director of World Relief since 2015. The Christian humanitarian organization expanded its efforts in 2007 to aid the local immigrant and refugee community in the Triangle area, mobilizing and equipping churches and communities to support this population. Previously, Clark was a […]

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County Commissioners Pass SCAD 3-1, Durham County Residents Nervous for Future

By Carl Kenney

December 14, 2023

After 4.5 hours of discussion, the Durham County Commissioners on Monday voted 3-1 to approve Simplifying Codes for more Affordable Development — a decision which follows months of advocacy from various Durham community members against the implementation of SCAD to rural areas outside of the city of Durham limits. On November 20, the Durham city […]

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Development in Southeast Durham: Sediment runoff from mass grading and buffer variances pose a threat to Falls Lake

By Carl Kenney

On September 7, The Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit in federal court against Clayton Properties Group, Inc. for ongoing pollution into the Durham creek, Martin Branch, which connects the Lick Creek watershed to Falls Lake. Clayton Properties Inc. owns several prominent housing developments in southeast Durham, including the Fendol Farms retirement community along […]

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‘I’m just so happy that I get to make a difference’: The Story of Elijah King

By Audrey Kashatus

December 11, 2023

Elijah King was born and raised in Durham with his mom and little sister. By the time King turned 18-years-old, he had moved 11 different times.  King grew up witnessing things most kids his age couldn’t have imagined. He saw eviction, moving places under 24 hours, crashing at his grandparent’s house and even different pastor’s […]

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Growth in the Midst of a Pause

By Carl Kenney

February 13, 2021

While the COVID-19 pandemic brings many organizations and plans to a halt, one Durham organization uses the opportunity to expand its reach. East Durham Children’s Initiative and Partners for Youth Opportunity are excited to announce their merger to form Durham Children’s Initiative (DCI). This merger has allowed for a significantly expanded capacity to help Durham […]

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Spreading December cheer: Durham Children’s Initiative reimagines “Holiday Zone”

By Carl Kenney

December 23, 2020

Story by Madison Reese DCI Intern  The Durham VOICE Photos by Khadijah McFadden Teen Editor-in-Chief Durham Children’s Initiative (DCI) created “Holiday Zone” seven years ago to provide Christmas gifts for Durham families who need them. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, however, the traditional way Holiday Zone is executed had to change. The Holiday Zone […]

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East Durham Children’s Initiative and Partners for Youth Opportunity merge to become Durham Children’s Initiative (DCI)

By Carl Kenney

July 28, 2020

By David Reese, DCI President   July 1 marked a monumental day in the history of the Durham Children’s Initiative (DCI). Not only have we officially changed our name to reflect our county-wide work with families and our support of the development of the Durham County Early Childhood Action Plan (ECAP), but we have also signed […]

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Following the yellow brick road towards Durham Children’s Initiative

By Carl Kenney

May 6, 2020

“The yellow brick road with a pot of gold at the end,” are the words that David Reese, President and CEO of East Durham Children’s Initiative, uses to describe the upcoming merger between two local NGOs dedicated to helping Durham’s children have a better life.  On July 1, Partners for Youth Opportunity, led by Julie […]

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Two youth-based Durham nonprofits join forces in announced merge

By Carl Kenney

April 2, 2020

Two local nonprofits have announced exciting news: Partners for Youth Opportunity (PYO) and Durham Children’s Initiative (DCI) decided to merge as one nonprofit to scale their impact in Durham. On March 5, PYO held their annual Rise and Shine Breakfast fundraiser. During the breakfast the group discussed its report from the previous year and then […]

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StepUp Durham offers career services to community

By Carl Kenney

“StepUp Durham connects people with hope,” Tim Wollin, 39, of Minneapolis, program director for StepUp Durham, said. StepUp Durham is a nonprofit that offers services for job seekers in the Durham community. Located at 112 Broadway St., Suite B, Durham, StepUp Durham is a resource for free employment readiness training, personalized job coaching, employer referrals […]

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Durham community kitchen offers free meals and smiles

By Carl Kenney

February 27, 2020

Beneath the faded New Visions of Africa sign, inside the unassuming barred building, Karen Santoro-Abdullah put a hand to her heart and choked back tears. “I love helping these people because it makes me feel good to give them respect,” Santoro-Abdullah said.  “Respect gives people hope; if people are treated with respect and a smile, it could encourage […]

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Preview of PYO’s largest fundraiser of the year: Rise and Shine Breakfast

By Carl Kenney

The local nonprofit, Partners for Youth Opportunity (PYO), that serves Durham youth impacted by systemic injustice will hold its largest fundraiser of the year on March 5: the Rise and Shine Breakfast. PYO organizes the annual event to celebrate its accomplishments with attendees and to announce its plans to scale the nonprofit’s impact for the […]

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Coworking space creates a network of community groups in Durham

By Carl Kenney

ReCity unites various organizations to fight against social issues within the city ReCity Network, a coworking social impact space, unites 47 organizations and over 100 community leaders to serve Durham.  The Durham-based network, located at 112 Broadway St., began in 2016 after a group of faith leaders found research indicating that shared space can increase […]

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Documenting Durham’s Voices: Everybody eats at Zweli’s

By Carl Kenney

This is a video series produced and reported for The Durham VOICE. “Documenting Durham’s Voices” will elevate the voices of and put a face to community members in Durham who are working in the community. The video series will also feature notable events that truly define what Durham is. Following the carbon monoxide crisis at […]

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Durham dreamers and readers celebrate MLK Day with donated books

By Carl Kenney

January 30, 2020

With over 1.2 million books donated since its founding, Book Harvest continues its dream of promoting reading and learning Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream — and so does Book Harvest, a Durham nonprofit that hosted its ninth annual Dream Big Book Drive and Community Celebration last week. “The Book Harvest dream is a […]

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Hayti Heritage Center celebrates jazz drummer Max Roach

By Carl Kenney

Jazz legend Max Roach’s drums beat again Saturday night when five local musicians interpreted his rhythms to about 50 listeners at the Hayti Heritage Center. The concert, called “Freedom Day: A Tribute to Max Roach,” celebrated one of the most important drummers in modern jazz history, the Hayti musicians said. A North Carolina native born […]

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MLK Play Days give displaced children a place to be kids again

By Carl Kenney

MLK Play Days, hosted by The W.G. Pearson Center and The Boys & Girls Club of Durham and Orange Counties, gave the displaced children from the McDougald Terrace community a place to play last Monday through Wednesday. Beginning Jan. 3, over 300 families from the McDougald Terrace community were evacuated indefinitely due to dangerous carbon […]

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‘We want to be a resource’: SEEDS aims to serve Durham community

By Carl Kenney

As South Eastern Efforts Developing Sustainable Spaces (SEEDS) rings in the new year, Interim Executive Director Abby Goodman hopes to make their urban gardening programs more meaningful to all members of the Northeast Central Durham community. Founded in 1994, SEEDS is a two-acre urban garden and kitchen space located at 706 Gilbert St. The organization […]

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Durham’s StudentU builds a legacy of success stories

By Carl Kenney

December 12, 2019

By Brittany Cowan Education is a complex, often controversial topic for discussion, as the viewpoints of teachers, legislators, and community leaders can sometimes result in bitter conflict. In Durham County, the non-profit organization StudentU has been on a mission since 2005 to shift the conversation towards educational equity and serving student populations that may otherwise […]

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NARAL NC petitions for a pro-choice voice in the presidential debate

By Aaliyah Bowden

November 17, 2019

Abortion, women’s reproductive rights, and gender equality will be on the ballot in the 2020 presidential election.  With that in mind, NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, located in Durham, has joined 10 other participating organizations in launching a petition to make affordable reproductive health care an important topic on the debate stage. “The petition is asking […]

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Women do Trap Yoga to benefit Autism

By Carl Kenney

July 30, 2019

Katrina Hayes, an Autism advocate, is passionate about bringing her craft into the streets of Raleigh and the surrounding areas. Hayes is a mother of a child with Autism and has occasionally hosted fundraising events to help the cause.  “As the mother of a child with Autism, I have to be very cognizant where my […]

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Don’t Waste Durham engages the community to seek sustainable alternatives to plastic and Styrofoam

By Carl Kenney

April 10, 2019

Between 2010-2011, Crystal Dreisbach wrote 200 letters to businesses throughout the Triangle. Her mission toward a more sustainable Durham was just beginning. The restaurants Dreisbach wrote to used Styrofoam, and she wanted to talk to distributors about sustainable alternatives, she said. She was working in public health research at the time, and Styrofoam takeout containers […]

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Foster dogs find forever homes with Durham nonprofit

By Carl Kenney

The sun shines down on the picturesque spring afternoon of April 6 at Durham’s Bull City Ciderworks, and Independent Animal Rescue (IAR) is gathering nine of its foster dogs for its latest adoption event. The outdoor space includes a deck and large grassy area. Dozens of Durham residents are spread out across picnic tables, donning […]

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ECWA aims to conserve Durham’s creeks, reverse century of water mismanagement

By Carl Kenney

March 27, 2019

As a 9-year-old, Kriddie Whitmore took a field trip to Ellerbe Creek that sparked her interest in preserving and removing invasive plants. She often relives this fond memory by preserving areas near her childhood home as a nature preserve steward with the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association (ECWA). “It’s a very volunteer-centered organization, and they always […]

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24th annual Great Human Race raises funds and awareness for Triangle nonprofits

By Carl Kenney

It’s the crisp Saturday morning of March 23, and nonprofit groups are slowly setting up tables on the sidewalk outside of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park for the 24th annual Great Human Race, hosted by the Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center (TNVLC). Many of the tables are covered in posters, pamphlets and brochures to […]

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Durham’s Communities in Schools helps students in class and at home

By Carl Kenney

Carmen Settles remembers the first time she learned that going to college after high school wasn’t for everyone. She could venture out on her own path and be successful. Although she graduated from North Carolina Central University with a marketing degree, Settles owes her success to Communities in Schools (CIS), a nonprofit that focuses on […]

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Durham students, teachers focus on equity with help from DPS grants

By Carl Kenney

    Erin Batten-Hicks finally found the community she had been missing when she transferred to Hillside High School and joined the school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA). “I never really had an opportunity to find more queer people and find that community while I was at my other school,” she said. “When I came […]

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Friday blessings: Free food provided by Salvation Army

By Carl Kenney

February 28, 2019

Everyone goes through ups and downs in life, and Suzanne Clark openly shared that things have been very rough since she became homeless in September. Fortunately, the Salvation Army is helping her. On the morning of Friday, Feb. 22, she stood in a line outside the Salvation Army along with about 50 other people with […]

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DIG program empowers youth through urban farming

By Carl Kenney

On a cold and rainy February afternoon, 17-year-olds Samantha Vazquee and Demonte Bolden are not hiding inside – they’re hard at work repotting dozens of plants after a day at school. Vazquee and Bolden are two youth members of the DIG program, a youth-driven, urban farming and leadership development program started by South Eastern Efforts Developing Sustainable […]

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iNSIDEoUT 180 hosts first adult Queer Prom

By Carl Kenney

February 17, 2019

  On Saturday iNSIDEoUT 180 had their first Queer Prom for adults at Arcana in Durham. Everyone appered to be having fun in the small locale with a downstairs bar and music playing songs from the ’80s to the present. iNSIDEoUT 180 is a non-profit organization for  the LGBT community. It was founded in 2005 […]

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Durham nonprofit redefines “teen mom”

By Carl Kenney

February 13, 2019

Angel Hope’s first day of class at Hillside High School, a significant event in any teenager’s life, was supposed to be Aug. 27, 2015. But the day would soon prove to be even more important as she gave birth to her daughter, Gabrielle, at the age of 15. Four first days of school and three […]

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Amid housing crisis, Housing for New Hope ends homelessness one person at a time

By Carl Kenney

According to the 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, about 1,200 homeless people are living in shelters or transitional housing in Durham. Robin, who asked to keep her last name anonymous to protect her children’s identity,  is one of them. Robin, a veteran and National Guardsman, is staying at a shelter in Durham with her three […]

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Kidznotes performance in ‘Carmen’ tests the bounds of vocal range

By Carl Kenney

January 31, 2019

Kidznotes musicians used their opera voices to tell the dramatic French love story of Georges Bizet’s “Carmen.” The students performed as the children’s chorus alongside the stars of the North Carolina Opera on Jan. 25 and Jan. 27 at the Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh. The opera performance featured hypnotic choreography, human drama and popular hit […]

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Durham woman’s running and biking trip places spotlight on human trafficking

By Carl Kenney

January 30, 2019

On Friday morning, Liz Herron met outside of the Durham County Courthouse with staff members of the Durham Crisis Response Center and began her four-day trek to raise awareness for human trafficking. Herron started Miles for Hope last year when she ran from Charlotte to Durham with her dad to raise awareness for human trafficking […]

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Dream Big Book Drive aims to improve literacy on MLK Day

By Carl Kenney

Marneshia Gonzales’ “Nancy Drew” books were being boxed up at the Book Harvest Dream Big Book Drive. They were her childhood favorites, and she wanted to share them. The 12-year-old, who is in sixth grade, was giving books away with her mother, Deidre Gonzales, at the eighth-annual book drive on Jan. 21, Martin Luther King […]

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Threehouse Studios celebrates community through yoga, music, dance

By Carl Kenney

The white, vine-covered building situated along Durham’s American Tobacco Trail is more than it appears. What used to be an old, small Piggly Wiggly has been transformed into a community-focused dance, yoga and music studio. Threehouse Studios opened their doors to the public on Oct. 22, 2017. The idea of a multipurpose studio was developed […]

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