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2023 Annual Report: We Are Empowered

By Gabrielle Prince on 11/5/24 in About, Advocate Story, Annual Report Story, Annual Reports, CEF Advocacy, Chapel Hill, Durham, Employment, General, Highlight, Housing, LOC, Member Advocate Story, Member Story, Partner Story, Program Story, Research + Publications, Savings, Story

2023 was a year of change. Our country was trying to move on from, and even forget, COVID, while many in our community were and are still dealing with its impacts. Our members were their creative, resourceful, and whole selves while navigating an ever-changing world.

We, as an organization, tried to help with that navigation by using American Rescue Plan funds, granted to us by the City of Durham and the Oak Foundation, to help Members clear some of the housing debt that they acquired due to COVID.

This money helped our Members stay in their homes or clear debt to move somewhere more affordable and also highlighted the need for longer-term stability. We also hired an advocacy manager to design a plan of where our advocacy should and could go, including the start of tenant unions.

This will put power back in the hands of the people most affected by the issues of housing and financial instability. We also worked towards closing the racial wealth gap through our First Time Homebuyers program, in which our Members’ savings were matched by Metlife for Durham and Town of Chapel Hill for Chapel Hill and put towards a first home.

We believe in a pathway from being unhoused to homeownership and want to support that through providing information, gathering documents, and providing funds for down payments. We are looking forward to supporting our CEF community in 2024.

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CEF Chapel Hill Advocate Spring Recruitment

By Gabrielle Prince on 11/4/24 in General

Hey community! Chloe, our Chapel Hill Advocate Program Coordinator, wanted to let everyone know that the Advocate application for our Spring 2025 recruitment cycle will be officially opening on November 25th! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer Advocate, please scan the QR code to complete the interest form and Chloe will share the application with you. You can also copy and paste this URL: https://forms.gle/opjPXvgPbkqLye2aA.

CEF is seeking volunteer Advocates who can commit to working with Members over the long haul – before, during, and well beyond their transitions out of housing insecurity. Volunteer Advocates can be anyone: undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff, and even community members! Responsibilities include committing to weekly meetings for two or more years and utilizing anti-racism tools to advocate for Black and Brown Members in a larger context. A great Advocate is someone who is committed to lifelong learning! If you would like more information about what the role entails, feel free to contact Chloe at chloew@communityef.org. We are already looking forward to welcoming new faces this spring!!

Understanding Financial Abuse: A Hidden Crisis

By Gabrielle Prince on 10/2/24 in General

Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Heal, Hold & Center

Abuse can take many forms, and while physical abuse is often recognized due to visible injuries, other types can be less apparent yet just as harmful. One of these is financial abuse, which can have a profound impact on victims. According to the National Hotline for Domestic Violence, financial abuse is rooted in the desire of one partner to have power and control over the other.

The Overlooked Aspect: Financial Abuse

It’s crucial to recognize that intimate partner violence affects millions of people across the United States. Alarmingly, 27% of contacts with the National Domestic Violence Hotline report experiencing financial abuse in their abusive relationships. Research from the National Network to End Domestic Violence shows that financial abuse occurs in 99% of domestic violence cases and is a significant component affecting nearly all victims. Many survivors stay in or return to abusive relationships due to fears about their financial stability and their ability to care for their children. Financial abuse can impact individuals across all socio-economic, educational, racial, and ethnic groups.

Financial abuse can take various forms, including:

Controlling Employment: Preventing a partner from working or attending school, leading to job loss or diminished career prospects.
Withholding Earnings: Taking the money earned from work or public assistance and refusing to give access to it.
Incurring Debt: Taking loans or credit in a partner’s name without their knowledge, leading to unmanageable debt.
Restricting Access: Controlling how money is spent and accessed, making it difficult for the victim to meet basic needs.

Resources Available

At the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF), we offer Safe Savings Accounts with a 20% match opportunity, as well as financial coaching focused on budgeting and credit repair. Our programs can provide survivors with a secure way to save money away from their abusers and help them regain financial independence.

Local Resources:

Standup Speakout NC – Durham
Compass Center – Chapel Hill, NC
Shining Light In Darkness (SLID)

National Resources:

CEF Safe Savings Accounts: New 20% Savings Match

By Gabrielle Prince on 9/23/24 in About, CEF Advocacy, Chapel Hill, Durham, Employment, General, Highlight, Housing, In the News, Savings

The Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) is excited to announce that, as part of our organization’s 5-year strategic plan, we now offer 20% matches on savings goals for Members enrolled in our Safe Savings Account Program! CEF’s Safe Savings Account Program helps Members save for personal goals, such as school fees, security deposits, or emergencies.

Poor and working-class individuals who lack access to traditional banks often face exploitation by predatory lenders and unfair banking practices, like payday/pawn shop loans, check cashing services and high-interest credit cards. These alternative banking institutions frequently trap vulnerable community members in a cycle of debt and poverty.

When Members engage with CEF’s Safe Saving Program, they open Individual Development Accounts (IDA), which require no minimum balance, have no fees, and do not impact debt or credit history. No ID or proof of citizenship is necessary to open an account; however, a state-issued ID is required to cash checks. CEF can also write checks directly to vendors if needed.

To receive their 20% match, Members participate in eight 2:1 financial coaching sessions with CEF Advocates. We tailor these coaching classes to Members needs, aiming to boost their confidence in managing finances and ultimately empowering them to achieve financial freedom. Coupling savings goals and financial education with the IDA has proven effective in increasing short-term savings and long-term economic stability for working-class people across the country since the 1990s.

Don’t miss out on this chance to transform your financial future. Sign up today for CEF’s Safe Savings Account Program and start on the path to financial freedom with the support you deserve!

Voices for Change: Donna Carrington Highlights the Impact of Quality-of-Life Laws on Homelessness

By Gabrielle Prince on 9/18/24 in About, CEF Advocacy, Chapel Hill, General, Highlight, Housing, In the News, Newsletters, Staff Story, Videos

CEF Executive Director Donna Carrington commented on the petition regarding the Enforcement of Quality-of-Life Laws in the Community during the Town of Chapel Hill Town Council meeting on Wednesday, September 11, 2024. In reflection, she shared, “It was crucial for me to speak because I understand the implications such petitions have on our community. Our unhoused individuals are often arrested for ‘quality of life violations,’ and it feels like our community is a place wanting to get rid of people instead of being solution-minded.”

Donna expressed concern over the increasing criminalization of homelessness. “I think it’s essential to address this issue openly,” she noted, acknowledging that her discomfort with public speaking only underscores the importance of the topic. “When I speak, I hope people understand the significance of what we’re facing. I knew that if I spoke, people would recognize its importance because I don’t like public speaking, and for me to do it, it has to be an important issue.”

CEF Durham Advocate Application Deadline Extended

By Gabrielle Prince on 8/26/24 in General

We’re excited to announce that the application deadline for the volunteer Advocate program has been extended to September 5th! If you haven’t applied yet, now is the perfect time to do so.

Become an Advocate where you can work alongside CEF Members to support them in reaching their goals around housing and financial stability.

To learn more about the CEF Advocate program and to apply follow this link! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfSrK2yNp2vNHvPjE84NOXeOGToaA0ECeuB2suKc8ftbDaa2g/viewform

CEF Durham Advocate Application: Now Open!

By Gabrielle Prince on 8/12/24 in CEF Advocacy, Durham, General

The Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) is an organization with offices in Chapel Hill and Durham that works to combat the racial wealth gap in these areas. With various programs, including the Safe Savings program (offers Members* the chance to save money in an account at CEF with the opportunity to earn a 15% match) and the Laptop Savings program (allows Members to purchase an affordable desktop or laptop from the Kramden Institute), along with online financial coaching sessions and resources related to housing, CEF strives to equip Members of our community with the tools they may need to achieve financial independence. At the heart of CEF’s work is a housing-first approach*, a commitment to community building, and supporting, not helping, those who seek out our services.

As an Advocate*, you will be working with Members to accomplish their goals in hour-long meetings on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Meetings can range from discussing housing options locally and applying to jobs, to creating flyers for Members and their business and helping them find childcare for their kids. Advocates are expected to volunteer for 2 hours a week (meaning they will be scheduled for 2 meetings per week) and attend community calls and trainings meant to advance their understanding of issues pertaining to racial equity and the specific needs of Members.

Interested? Fill out our application here: https://forms.gle/euaj6hked59GKUwr9. As always, if you have any questions/concerns, please email the Advocate Program Coordinator at the Durham office, Shuhud Mustafa, at shuhudm@communityempowermentfund.org.

*Member – an individual who becomes a part of CEF through a one-time orientation.
*Advocate – an individual who volunteers at CEF and meets with Members alongside another Advocate.
*Housing-first – an approach that prioritizes finding permanent housing for people experiencing or on the verge of experiencing homelessness.

The CEF Freedom Liberation Ensemble

By Gabrielle Prince on 8/7/24 in CEF Advocacy, CEF Advocacy Choir, Events, General, Highlight, Housing

Join us August 27th! Everyone’s different voices are uniting for one cause: freedom and liberation. The CEF Freedom Liberation Ensemble is coming back stronger than ever, ready to advocate for fixed-income, low-income, and no-income populations.

By bringing the community together to sing justice-oriented versions of popular songs, we will be demanding that people in power hear the voice of the community.

This first rehearsal, open to all, includes CEF’s iconic version of “I Smile” arranged by founder Yvette Matthews.

CEF Volunteer Advocate Application Open Now!

By Gabrielle Prince on 8/1/24 in General

CEF is seeking volunteer Advocates who can commit to working with Members over the long haul – before, during and well beyond their transitions out of housing insecurity. Volunteer Advocates can be anyone– undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff and even community members! Responsibilities include committing to weekly meetings for two or more years and utilizing antiracism tools to advocate for Black and Brown Members in a larger context. A great Advocate is someone who is committed to lifelong learning.

Read more about the opportunity and apply here! Applications will be due September 1st, 2024 at 5:00 PM!

The deadline to submit the application is September 1st, 2024 at 5:00 PM. More information regarding the internship can be found within the application via a linked job description. Any further questions or concerns can be directed to chloew@communityef.org.

CEF Chapel Hill Advocate Application Opening August 1st!

By Gabrielle Prince on 7/29/24 in General

Hey community! Chloe, our Chapel Hill Advocate Program Coordinator, wanted to let everyone know that the Advocate application for our Fall 2024 recruitment cycle will be officially opening on August 1st!

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer Advocate, complete the interest form and Chloe will share the application with you personally.

CEF is seeking volunteer Advocates who can commit to working with Members over the long haul – before, during and well beyond their transitions out of housing insecurity.

Volunteer Advocates can be anyone: undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff and even community members! Responsibilities include committing to weekly meetings for two or more years and utilizing anti-racism tools to advocate for Black and Brown Members in a larger context.

A great Advocate is someone who is committed to lifelong learning! If you would like more information about what the role entails, feel free to contact Chloe at chloew@communityef.org. We are already looking forward to welcoming new faces this fall!!

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