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"University Students Changing Landscape in Domestic Microenterprise"

By on 12/6/12 in General, In the News

The Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) was featured as one of two case studies in a national publication on student-led microfinance programs. The report was written and published by FIELD at the Aspen Institute.

Titled “Catching Fire: The University Microenterprise Movement in 2012,” the report documents the growth and creativity of this unique model of service delivery in the microenterprise sector.

More info from Elaine Edgcomb, Director of FIELD and co-author of the study:

“University students delivering microenterprise services and microfinance? With some scale and effectiveness?

“Over the last few years, university-born and student-powered microenterprise organizations have emerged offering direct services (both training and financing) to low-income individuals and small businesses in their local communities. FIELD has closely watched the movement evolve, and FIELD’s latest study “Catching Fire: the University Microenterprise Movement in 2012″ describes the contributions this movement is making both to individual communities and the larger field. The paper provides two case studies of the Community Empowerment Fund in North Carolina, and Capital Good Fund in Rhode Island that illustrate its potential, and points out the next challenges that the movement must address if it is to fully capitalize on that potential.”

Our thanks and appreciation go out to FIELD, the Aspen Institue, and the Mott Foundation for their thorough research and thoughtful interviews. Thank you for documenting this work!

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Holiday Party Slideshow

By on 12/6/12 in General

Oh my goodness, what a fun holiday party! Thanks to everyone who was able to join us, and if you didn’t make it this year, we missed you and we hope to see you next time!

Fun slideshow…

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Featured Member: Lottye

By on 12/6/12 in General, Member Story

Lottye is a skilled tailor, an aspiring medical technician, and a joy to be around. We’re so happy for Lottye! She successfully found two jobs with her advocates and then saved to move into her apartment.

Lottye and one of her advocates, Kevin

Lottye  connected with CEF while staying at the women’s shelter and got paired with a stellar team of advocates: Kevin, Sarah and Max. The team worked together to find Lottye employment and housing, and to help her save towards her goals. Sarah and Max have since graduated, but Lottye says, “Oh, I keep up with them! Max, you know he is a jet-setter, so he is traveling the world, and Sarah, she is in Japan teaching English.

“But I’ve still got my Kevin! And I’m getting two new advocates who will be working with me and Kevin — a freshman and a sophomore — so you know I can hang out with them for years!”

Even since Lottye moved into her apartment, she has continued to work with her CEF advocates to reach her goals. She is aiming to gain more full-time employment, go back to school, keep budgeting, and just in general, make her house a home. Her favorite pastime right now? As Lottye says, “I am really enjoying my little place now. It’s so nice to have a place that is just mine.”

Thank you for all your energy, commitment, and dedication, Lottye! We are looking forward to working with you on your next big step.

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Santiago Reaches Savings Goal

By on 12/3/12 in General, Member Story

Santiago and his advocates celebrating in the CEF office

Our congratulations and affirmations go out to Santiago! Santiago reached his savings goal this past month! Santiago has been by far CEF’s most consistent and diligent Saver, never missing a single weekly deposit in 50 weeks of saving with us. Truly incredible commitment.

Santiago is saving to buy a dairy cow for his family, and he has now reached his goal. Santiago and his advocates celebrated in the office with a cow-shaped cake, creatively made by one of his advocates.

The best part? Santiago will continue to save with CEF, as he is one of our 10 pilot members of the Renter’s Savings IDA Program.

Again, a heartfelt congratulations!

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Finally, Amanda Has a Home

By on 12/3/12 in General, In the News, Member Story

Check out this recent article in the Chapel Hill News, a guest column CEF published to highlight the fantastic and collaborative work we are participating in through the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness’ 100,000 Homes Task Force.

“How Amanda Got a Home” Read the full article here. 

Excerpt: “Amanda had been homeless for more than 10 years. Only 28 years old, this means she had been homeless for the entirety of her adult life – living with her sister in Houston, a shelter in D.C. and, for the past two years, a tent in the woods of Carrboro.

Amanda signing her new lease!

This past May, Amanda and her two cats moved into their own apartment in Chapel Hill. How? First, Amanda’s own determination and follow-through; second, a symphony of community partners, orchestrated by the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness’ 100,000 Homes Taskforce.

The story began for me about a year ago when Amanda walked into the office of the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) on Franklin Street with her very cute little dog, Paso. I can’t remember what brought Amanda up to our office that day, but from then on she became a daily presence at CEF. She began leading our weekly creative writing workshops, helping with outreach, working on her own goals, making savings deposits, and, sometimes, just hanging out on the computer. Through CEF Amanda was paired with two volunteer advocates, Audrey Boyles and Jon Young, who began partnering with her and working one-on-one to help her reach her goals.

Amanda with Audrey, one of her volunteer CEF Advocates

This past January the Partnership to End Homelessness held its annual Point-In-Time count, documenting the number of homeless men, women, and children in Orange County. This year as a part of the 100,000 Homes Campaign, the count included a survey to identify the most medically vulnerable homeless individuals in our community. Based on these surveys, a collaboration of 15 local agencies joined together to create person-specific plans to help the most vulnerable individuals in our community find housing.

Amanda was one of the surveyed individuals and the 100,000 Homes Campaign prioritized her to receive services. A network of community services and organizations came together: A supportive housing voucher through OPC Shelter Plus Care; an affordable apartment through CASA; a security deposit from Housing for New Hope; comprehensive health services through the Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health; vaccinations for her cats through POP; household furniture from a graduating senior at UNC; and one-on-one support from her CEF advocates, as well as her community and church friends. It was stressful; it was mountains of paperwork.

Amanda with Mary Jean, COO at CASA, the affordable housing agency renting Amanda her beautiful apartment

“I kept waiting on the big joke,” says Amanda, “for everything to fall apart.”

On Amanda’s first night in her new apartment she hosted a housewarming party. A family of friends, case-workers, advocates, pastors, jogging-buddies, therapists and community supporters came together to share a meal and celebrate Amanda’s accomplishment. A few of us even brought sleeping bags and stayed with Amanda for her first night, so she would be comfortable sleeping in this new environment – spending her first night in her own bed in over a decade.

Amanda says having her own home means “constant baths, air conditioning, a bed, and a lock. I can lock my door, that’s a very big deal. Oh, and I can cook!”

It’s the things we take for granted. It’s the distance between surviving and living. It’s doors opened for Amanda to continue her education at Durham Tech and become a Nursing Assistant, or to one day open a rescue home for abused and abandoned cats and support them through recovery.”

Read the full article here. 

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Gwen: Building CEF Sisterhood

By on 11/29/12 in General, Member Story

Gwen Miller, CEF Opportunity Class Teacher. Gwen is a school bus driver full-time in addition to her work at CEF.

Gwen is a motivator, a school bus driver, an educator, and a woman who inspires. After participating in CEF’s classes herself, Gwen now teaches our classes and makes it her personal goal to lift up the spirits and self-confidence of her class participants – the majority of whom are current residents at the women’s shelter. Gwen became homeless when she had to make the choice between paying her rent or paying her youngest son’s college tuition. She chose to invest in her son’s future, and without regret, was homeless for a year while working to get back on her feet.

Gwen brings a prophetic energy and oratory to CEF’s Sunday afternoon classes. Each week, in addition to teaching skills like budgeting, interviewing, and conflict resolution, Gwen introduces a theme to the women. Themes such as “I never give up on…”, “Gratitude,” and “I’ve got this.”

One participant remarked, “This is more of a sisterhood than a class.”

And it’s true! As Gwen puts it, “My goal for the Sunday Opportunity Classes is to lift the women’s spirits up. We have a lot of depression going on there at the shelter, and the women really need a group and a time that can be there to push them up and tell them not to give up. So I want the class to teach them life skills, and basically, survival skills. I enjoy doing this because I have been there and been through it.”

 

Gwen truly has come full circle. During class a couple months ago, after teaching a two-hour session about how to ace a job interview, Gwen mentioned to the women that just a year ago she was living at the shelter. The jaws of all the new participants dropped, and one exclaimed, “You have got to be kidding me!” It is a humbling experience to see the way the women’s eyes light up, the way they sit up a little bit taller, with the subtle reminder that, “Yes, I can do this. Gwen did this, and so can I.”

Continuing in her personal strides towards long-term success, Gwen is also a pilot participant in our Renter’s Savings IDA Program. We are so thankful for Gwen and her leadership, uplifting and inspiring many women who will follow in her footsteps.

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Advocate Stories: Sophie and Ian

By on 10/1/12 in Advocate Story, General, Written By Advocates


We just trained over 50 advocates and have been so impressed by them so far! They have been volunteering in the office, meeting with members, participating in team meetings and overall just being amazing at what they do.

For this blog post, I interviewed two new advocates who have been working with a CEF member for around two weeks. Here’s what they have to say about their experiences advocating thus far.

Thank you Ian and Sophie for your input and thanks to ALL of our new CEF advocates for your involvement and enthusiasm!

CEF Love,
Audrey
Member Advocate Coordinator

Tell me a little about yourself! Year in school, what you’re studying, favorite past time and… your middle school AIM screen name 🙂

Sophie:
My name is Sophie Mohajerani, I’m currently a Sophomore here at Carolina and loving every second of it. My potential major is business and economics and I like to spend my free time involved with a variety of student organizations and volunteering. My favorite past time would have to be ice skating, I was a figure skater in elementary and middle school. My middle school AIM was TarheelBBlue, I grew up in a Carolina household so I’ve been a fan forever.

Ian:
I’m a freshman music major studying classical piano. I enjoy hiking and fishing, indulging myself with the romantic travails of the literature of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and playing Frisbee/ t-ing the d/ seshing the mellow earth biscuit. I’ve also enjoyed the move from New Hampshire to North Carolina and the chance to share a different vernacular with my new North Carolinian friends.

What caught your eye about CEF? In other words, what drew you in to volunteer with us?

Sophie:

What caught my eye about CEF was the emphasis on forming relationships that are long lasting. I was looking for an organization that I could feel a part of and it seemed like it would be a great fit! I was hesitant at first because the tasks of handling someone’s future in my own hands is a bit daunting but knowing I would be trained and guided each step of the way made me feel at ease and excited about CEF.

Ian:
I was interested in finding a way to work with the homeless and underemployed community in Chapel Hill, and when a friend told me about the interest meetings at the beginning of the year for HOPE Gardens and CEF I was eager to get involved. I also thought that getting some experience doing practical work with people might help me determine what I want to study in the next four years.

Have your initial impressions of CEF been changed since you started to volunteer? If so, in what way?

Sophie:

Yes, I had made assumptions about CEF members that I quickly experienced to not be true. I came into CEF assuming that members would be hopeless and have negative attitudes due to the hardships that they have had to experience. However, what I have discovered was completely the opposite, my current member is proactive and constantly being positive about his future with the realistic goal in mind that he can attain it over some time. This outlook on life and reaction to challenges that life brings was truly inspiring to me.

Ian:

I initially thought the CEF was more of a microfinancing group, but learning about the advocate program was really what drew me in. Advocating struck me as a challenging but also very rewarding experience, and I saw it as a chance to try something I didn’t think I was capable of doing.

Tell me about how advocating is going (when you started, what you guys have been working on, etc.).

Sophie:

Advocating is definitely a team effort and I have really been enjoying it. I started last Thursday with my partner Ian and a more experienced advocate, Olivia. We worked on our member’s resume that needed to be updated as well as filled out two job applications for hotel restaurants in Chapel Hill. Our member is in search for a daytime job to have in addition to his nighttime job that he has. The experience overall was very rewarding, we all felt accomplished and our member seemed relieved that there were some jobs available. We also planned what is in store for this week which is to transfer his food stamps to Orange County and apply for the Obama cell phone.

Ian:

I met my member during my first day in the office, about three weeks ago. He’d already been in a few times and filled out a resume with a CEF advocate, so I worked with Santi to work on a new member plan with him. Sophie and I have met with our member twice now, and we’ve been able to help him apply for a cell phone and a few jobs. He’s hoping to pick up a second job so he can save up to find his own place to live. His long-term goal is to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.

What has been the most challenging about advocating so far?

Sophie:

The most challenging part about advocating so far is trying to learn the multitude of resources available to advocates to help their members. I feel as though I am not familiar with governmental benefits that are available to members and I would like to know more so I can be of more help to members.

Ian:

I’ve learned that filling out documents and applications is generally a tedious process, and determining how to give “yes or no” answers to questions that may require more nuanced responses can be frustrating. Mostly, I wish I knew more – at every meeting I usually generate a list of things I need to learn about, but I never find time to research them all.

What is your favorite part about advocating thus far?

Sophie:

My favorite part is honestly just listening to our member and hearing his stories and how his perspective of life is yet so bright although he has been through so much. I was told at the beginning of training for CEF that I would end up learning more from member than they learn from me. I believe this to be true and that is why I enjoy being a part of CEF.

Ian:

The CEF vibes are definitely real. I love going to office hours, hanging out with the other advocates and members and working with Sophie and Anthony, and after our meetings on Thursdays I’m always stoked about everything else I do for the rest of the day.

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Forum Series: Politics, Race & the November Elections

By on 9/11/12 in General

FORUM SERIES: POLITICS, RACE & THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS

SEPTEMBER 10 “Civil Rights and Disenfranchisement”
Speaker: Daryl Atkinson, Staff Attorney, Southern Coalition for Social Justice
Hargraves Center, 216 N. Roberson St.,Chapel Hill, 7:00-8:30 pm

SEPTEMBER 20 “Issues of Economic Justice”
Panel: Ajamu Dillahunt (NC Justice Center), Robert Dowling (Community Home Trust), Maxine Eichner (UNC School of Law), Ellen Harnick, Center for Responsible Lending
OWASA Community Rm, 400 Jones Ferry Rd, Carrboro, 7-8:30 pm

OCTOBER 4 “What Will Happen With Health Care?”
Panel: Cedric Bright, MD (Asst. Dean, UNC School of Medicine, President of the National Medical Association), Pam Silberman (CEO, NC Institute of Medicine, Adam Searing (Health Access Coalition, NC Justice Center), Gayle Harris (Director, Durham County Public Health)
United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 MLK Jr Blvd, 7:00-8:30 pm

OCTOBER 18 “Public Education Disparities”
Panel: Mark Dorosin (Managing Attorney, UNC Center for Civil Rights), Keith Howard (Charlotte School of Law, formerly with Advocates for Children’s Services), Katy Munger (Progress NC)
United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 MLK Jr Blvd, 7:00-8:30 pm

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Sponsored by: The Organizing Against Racism Alliance

For more information: contact Wanda Hunter (whunter1@nc.rr.com); organizingagainstracism.com

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Why We're Saving

By on 9/9/12 in General, Program Story
When CEF members applied to be a part of our first Renter’s Savings IDA Program, we asked members a couple questions about why they wanted to join the program.

Here’s why CEF members are saving in their Renter’s Savings account with CEF…

  • “So my kids don’t have to keep suffering.”
  • “To learn to help myself so that I can help my family.”
  • “Because it would give me incentive to save, and I’ve never saved, ever.”
  • “It would make me feel good because it would be available when a real need comes up.”
  • “Will help me build self-confidence and find stability.”
  • “I want to own my own home and need to have secure savings to do that.”
  • “This savings program will give me peace of mind.”
  • “Help”
  • “I would feel more secure to be financially independent.”
  • “Because instead of looking for money to fix things, if you have savings you already have funds in place.”
  • “To show me that even with the little money that I earn, I am still able to save.”

Through this program, we won’t just be partnering with members on their savings goals. We will also be focusing intentionally on their longer-term dreams for their households. When asked, “What are your goals for the next 3 years?” here’s what members are dreaming about…

  • “Purchase a home, build up savings, save in 401K, start building college savings for my four children, and getting healthy!”
  • “My own transportation and starting a business”
  • “Finishing school and paying off student loans”
  • “Build my income. My goal is to help others become stronger in their faith, to not give, and stay motivated.”
  • “I’m just taking it one day at a time. I am trained not to try to think that far ahead.”
  • “Getting my GED and saving for a car”
  • “Be in school and nearer to graduation”

Help us get there together. Sponsor a Saver to join together with one of our 10 pilot Savers, as they continue to invest in their own and their family’s futures.

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CEF: Community Empowerment Fund
Chapel Hill: 919-200-0233 Durham: 919-797-9233

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