News about grants, gifts

Alexander Richter, a graduate student in North Carolina State University’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has won a $15,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for work to improve agricultural pest control that could strengthen the global food supply. Click here for more.

The Walmart Foundation has awarded Charlotte Bridge Home a $150,000 grant and Charlotte Works a $200,000 grant to amplify each organization’s existing efforts to holistically serve veterans through enhanced collaboration with veteran service organizations in and around the Charlotte/Mecklenburg community. The grants are made in conjunction with the Walmart Foundation’s $1 million grant to the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University for strategy development of the nation’s first  statewide veteran supportive services coordinated network, NCServes, which was announced last February.

News about people, groups

Wake Health Services’ Capital Campaign Cabinet Co-Chair Maria Spaulding is excited to announce that Jimmy Goodmon of Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. has been named  co-chair.  Read more.

The American Heart Association has named Cassidy Collins of Hickory, NC “Youth Advocate of the Year” and Dr. David Huang of Chapel Hill, NC “Science Advocate of the Year”.  The national awards were announced at the association’s annual congressional Lobby Day, You’re the Cure on the Hill, in Washington, D.C. on Monday, May 11. Click here for more.

On Tuesday, May 19th 24 men received certificates of completion from the Durham Rescue Mission’s one-year Victory program. Graduates are: Matthew Anderson, Barry Brantley, Douglas Farror, Olive Harris Jr., Bryce Harvey, Anthony Jackson, Chad Jackson, Clanton Jones, Terrance Knight, Antonio Liles, Thomas Lawrence, Ryan Mason, Ronald Mundy, Kristefur Norton, James Odom, Donnie Owens, Walter Rainey, Terry Sharp, Andre Smith, Kevin Smith, Michael Smith, Leonard Sutherland, Dallas Terry and Iain Woodward. Learn more here.

The Greater Raleigh Chamber honored outstanding local businesses May 19 at the inaugural BizCon, presented by The News & Observer, at the Raleigh Convention Center. Winners include: The Produce Box, Risk Management Associates, WingSwept, Environmental Holdings Group, LLC, LM Restaurants, Inc., Sequence, Inc., Trimark Digital, VisionPoint Marketing, Comfort Master, Inc., Michael & Son Services, and National Pawn. For more, click here.

The Rockingham County Community Foundation (RCCF) hosted the second annualStudent Volunteer of the Year celebration May 12 in Wentworth at MARC (Museum of Archives for Rockingham County). Students representing the four public high schools in Rockingham County were awarded for outstanding community involvement and leadership. Students honored were; Kelly Brook Tilley, Tory Valentine, Jade Stiles, and Georgia Stophel. Learn more here.

Bernie Mann, owner and publisher of Our State magazine, was recognized with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Lenoir-Rhyne University during commencement on May 15, 2015.

The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce honored its retiring president and CEO Harvey A. Schmitt at a community reception Wednesday, May 20, at the Raleigh Convention Center. NC Secretary of Transportation Tony Tata presented Schmitt with the distinguished Order of the Long Leaf Pine award on behalf of Gov. Pat McCrory, in recognition of Schmitt’s service to the community since he joined the Chamber in January 1994.

News about opportunities, initiatives

DHIC, Inc. provided opportunities for the community to give input into the master planning process for the redevelopment of Washington Terrace, an apartment community recently purchased by DHIC just east of downtown Raleigh.  During May 19-21, 2015, DHIC opened a design studio at Washington Terrace and members of the design team from JDavis Architects and 1/1 Design Studio were on site and available for the community to drop-in, offer feedback, ask questions, and learn more about the master planning process. Read more.

Leadership North Carolina is pleased to announce that the application period for Leadership North Carolina Class XXIII is now open. The application is available online through the “Class XXIII Program Application” link.

‘Happiest Blues Man in the World’ Big Ron Hunter will perform live at Yadkin Riverkeeper Tour event Sat., May 30 at Carolina Heritage Vineyard and Winery.

The NC Center for Nonprofits announced that Andy Goodman will be the keynote speaker at the 2015 Statewide Conference for North Carolina’s Nonprofit Sector in September. He will explain why storytelling remains the single most powerful communication tool and offer specific ways nonprofits can use stories to advance their mission. Read more.

On May 15, 2015, the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition(NCHRC), a statewide nonprofit dedicated to reducing drug overdose deaths, received a report of its 500th drug overdose reversal using the opioid antagonist, naloxone.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released a report that calls for improved efforts to ensure that children are placed in quality family settings when they enter the child welfare system. Every Kid Needs a Family: Giving Children in the Child Welfare System the Best Chance for Success, emphasizes the importance of children growing up within an environment of safe, nurturing relationships with caregivers in order to best promote their cognitive, physical, emotional and social development. NC Child is working to change public policy concerning North Carolina’s children by using the report to make recommendations. Read more.

Four phony charities that claimed to fight cancer allegedly took $187 million in donations, including $1 million from consumers in North Carolina, but did little or nothing to help cancer victims, Attorney General Roy Cooper and Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall announced. Cooper and Marshall joined 49 other states and the Federal Trade Commission to file suit against Cancer Fund of America, Children’s Cancer Fund of America, Cancer Support Services, The Breast Cancer Society, and the individuals who operated them for misrepresentation and fraud. Click the link for more.

This summer Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF) will work with NC State Social Work graduate student Jenna Horgan to facilitate a music therapy program for farmworkers in NC. The program will offer workers music sessions with guitar lessons, songwriting and discussion to offer a healthy outlet to respond to workers’ stress and sense of isolation and to provide a positive use of recreational time.

The report, Out of Reach 2015, was jointly released by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, a Washington, DC-based research and advocacy organization, and NC Housing Coalition. Every year, Out of Reach reports on the Housing Wage for all states, counties, metropolitan area and combined non-metropolitan areas in the country. The report presents housing costs nationwide, highlighting the gap between what renters earn and what it costs to afford rent at fair market value. For more, click here.

Durham Arts Council (DAC) was accepted to Krogers Fundraising Program. Patrons can now support DAC with the purchase of groceries and the use of their Kroger Plus Card. Click here for more information.

Due to the holiday weekend, WomenNC canceled their Cities for CEDAW Coalition meeting on Thursday, May 21st. A rescheduled date will be released at a later date.

State of the Print kicks off the Block Gallery’s 2015 exhibition series with an opening reception Thursday, June 4 from 5-7pm. Curator Judy Jones, a printmaker and entrepreneur residing and working in Raleigh, has pulled together a body of work that demonstrates innovation in printmaking by contemporary North Carolina printmakers. Read more.

The Durham Art Council is calling all visual artists, for their special exhibition “I Am Quixote – Yo Soy Quijote”. All entries are due June 15.

Registration is open for the 2015 Triangle Caregivers Conferences on June 16 and June 25. To register, click here.

CityCamp NC, an event developed to bring together government, business, neighborhood, non-profit, and academic communities to work toward next generation solutions for local municipalities, has announced Thursday, June 11, 2015 as the official kickoff date for the fifth annual conference. CityCamp NC starts Thursday evening in downtown Raleigh at HQ Raleigh and moves to the Wake County Commons building for the remainder of the event programming that takes place June 12-13. Read more.

Nonprofit consulting firm The INS Group has been invited to join Activate Good volunteer center to help secure funding for Band Together NC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses live music as a platform for social change. Each year, Band Together partners with a charity with the potential to reach a major milestone with funding support. Learn more here.

Join Communities In Schools of Durham on May 28th in celebrating the exceptional accomplishments of seniors, the Class of 2015, and encouraging the next generation of CIS students on their way to success. Read more here.

The Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina will become SHIFT NC (Sexual Health Initiatives For Teens).

On Sunday, May 24th the Foothills Brewing and Yadkin Riverkeeper cleaned up Peters Creek along Canal Street in Winston-Salem. Volunteers were treated to an after-party at Foothills Brewing. Learn more here.

Independent Animal Rescue sponsored a Dog Adoption event on Saturday, May 24 in Durham. Food, toys, and pet supplies were among the donations the event received. Read more.

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