NCCAA awarded $1.2M Diaper Distribution Pilot from the Office of Community Services | |
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1 in 3 families in the U.S. don’t have enough diapers to keep their children clean, dry, and healthy. The NCCAA has been awarded $1.2 million from HHS’ Office of Community Services to help expand diaper services in Tier 1 counties across eastern, NC. The Diaper Distribution Pilot will not only help with the high cost of diapers, but it will connect families to other services that can help them take steps out of poverty. For more information about the Diaper Distribution Pilot or OCS’ seven antipoverty programs, visit the OCS website. READ MORE
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Five Questions with Natasha Elliott, Executive Director
Central Piedmont Community Action
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Natasha Elliott is self-admittedly pretty confident. “I would tell my younger self to not dim your light for anyone because they are intimidated by your confidence,” said the Executive Director of Central Piedmont Community Action. “Confidence is not arrogance; it is just you believing in yourself and your abilities.” However, being human, she also admits to having fears. “My biggest fear is snakes! I’m afraid of real snakes, TV snakes, pictures of snakes, plastic snakes, and all forms of snakes!” Learn more about Natasha in this Five Questions with an Agency Leader feature.
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In memoriam: Ms. Gelania 'Lucille' Johnson Rhoades
Former Blue Ridge Opportunities Commission volunteer and board member Gelania “Lucille” Johnson Rhoades, of North Wilkesboro, passed on Sept. 4. After a lifetime of community service, she was named North Carolina Democrat Woman of the Year. READ MORE
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Greene Lamp awarded $1.3M Head Start grant
A grant of more than $1.3 million has been awarded to Greene Lamp for its Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships program. The grant was received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Greene Lamp serves Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, Pitt, Wayne, and Sampson counties.
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WAMY partners with local groups to provide free bikes
The Boone Police Department, WAMY Community Action, and Walmart gave away the first of nearly 70 bikes on Tuesday, Sept. 20. The process to get to the Tuesday giveaway started two years ago when Kat Eller of the Boone Police Department applied for a grant to get free bicycle helmets, which she received. At the same time, WAMY Community Action also applied for and received the helmets. “Then I started thinking, ‘Well, what good is a helmet if you don’t have a bike?’” Eller said. “We began brainstorming a way to raise money to get bicycles for kids.”
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CAAs awarded funds to create affordable housing
Wells Fargo has awarded $50,000 to High Country United Way to support the nonprofit’s work to expand local housing affordability and financial stability in the High Country. The purpose of the Wells Fargo funding is to assist low-income individuals and families with the resources necessary to break the cycle of poverty and achieve self-sufficiency and affordable housing solutions, including WAMY’s Total Family Development and Weatherization programs; and Blue Ridge Opportunity Commission’s Family Self Sufficiency and Weatherization programs. READ MORE
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Help advance equity in the nonprofit sector by sharing your experiences in the Race to Lead survey | |
Building Movement Project’s (BMP) Race To Lead Survey is back for 2022. This year’s survey offers the opportunity to understand how the many changes of the past few years are impacting all nonprofit workers, leaders, and organizations. The findings contribute to the largest dataset on race and leadership in the nonprofit sector. This year, the survey addresses some of the major social issues of the past few years, including COVID-19, the racial uprisings of summer 2020, and shifts in the political landscape. READ MORE
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Vote 22: Your Voice Matters
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Mark your calendars, early voting ends on Saturday, November 5. Election day is Tuesday, November 8. Don't miss this opportunity to help shape policies which impact vulnerable and underserved North Carolinians.
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Not registered to vote? You can register and vote at the same time by early voting. Click here to learn more.
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Formerly incarcerated? North Carolinians serving felony sentences, who are not in jail or prison, may register to vote. Click here to learn more.
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Not sure where to go? Click here to find polling locations near you.
YOUR VOTE MATTERS.
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NC Child shares lessons from the first year of the pandemic | |
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As North Carolina families struggle with increasing grocery and gas prices, most of the programs that helped low-income families keep their homes and keep food on the table during the pandemic are expiring. New data from NC Child’s County Data Cards shows that pandemic-era policies buffered children against some of the worst impacts of poverty. READ MORE
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Fall Back! Daylight Savings Time Ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 6 | |
State action plan released to address suicide | |
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The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has released a coordinated state action plan to reduce injury and death by suicide. In 2019, suicide was the second leading cause of death for youth in North Carolina ages 10 to18 and the third leading cause of death for those ages 19 to 34, according to the NC State Center for Health Statistics. The state action plan includes proven strategies to prevent death by suicide and suicide attempts in North Carolina. Increasing access to treatment and supportive services, and raising awareness and education about mental health, depression and suicide are among the strategies in the plan. Crisis intervention and monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on suicide and self-inflicted injuries are also important components of the plan.
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Take credit: NCCAA certificate courses now qualify as continuing education
Community action professionals who sign up for NCCAA’s Case Management or Head Start Family Engagement certificate programs may now qualify for continuing education units (CEUs). Working with i50 Consulting Services, the administrative partner that handles non-teaching activities like course registration, NCCAA’s certificate courses now comply with CEU standards from the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training. READ MORE
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NC colleges hope Biden's loan forgiveness plan improves financial literacy
Federal student-loan relief applications are expected to be online in a few weeks, and financial-aid offices say this also is an opportunity to increase financial literacy.
Valerie Clem Brown, director of financial aid at William Peace University, said she supports the Biden administration's plan to offer $10,000 in loan forgiveness to federal student borrowers with incomes of less than $125,000 a year, but added that she's also worried there hasn't been enough focus on increasing college freshmen's understanding of the amount of money they're borrowing, and how their chosen career might affect their ability to repay it. READ MORE
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