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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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Member Story : Gerardo and Flor

By on 10/18/12 in Member Story

martinez Renting

written by Sarah Cohn

Gerardo and Flor Martinez, natives of Mexico, are long-time Chapel Hill residents. They had already begun growing their small event rental business, Martinez Rental, when they enrolled in the CEF Latino business course in the spring of 2011. I met Gerardo and Flor several months after they had graduated from the program, as they sought to learn more about formalizing their business. The first time I sat down with Gerardo and Flor didn’t go so well. That is, I wasn’t at all prepared to answer Flor’s multitude of legal questions concerning permits, licensing, and taxes. I’m no business expert, and those are the topics that really confuse me most. It was obvious that Flor had done her homework, and that I hadn’t. I knew after that first meeting that working with Gerardo and Flor wasn’t going to be easy – because formalizing a business isn’t easy – but that Martinez Rental was going to be one of the most successful businesses we’ve seen.

I continued meeting with Gerardo and Flor for the next several months. It seemed at each meeting like we weren’t making any progress, as we would come into it with questions and leave with even more questions. What types of licenses are required for an event rental company? Can you operate outside the city that you’re based in? What about special permits? And insurance? And more insurance if you have a moon bounce?! The intricacies of legalizing a business is something I never saw myself being involved with. But there I was, trying to make sense of the Town of Chapel Hill’s Business Management website and calling the Secretary of State’s office with what seemed like an endless list of questions.

Gerardo’s hard work and Flor’s inquisitive attitude impressed me and inspired me to work through these problems with them. Actually, it really overwhelmed me at first, but as I continued working with the couple I learned a lot from them. I learned a little something about business, sure, but what I really admired was their persistence and dedication.

Martinez Rental is now formalized and growing steadily. Now that I understand a little more about what it takes to run a business, I call that a huge success. I’m proud to have been a small part of Gerardo and Flor’s story, and I can only hope that CEF made as much of an impression on them as they did on me.

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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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Teach a Man to Fish

By on 9/13/12 in Advocate Story, Written By Advocates

The age-old adage of “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime” at first seemed to me to just be an excuse for not giving anyone your fish, implicitly saying, “handouts don’t help, but I don’t have the time to teach you.” And even giving a man a fish was often a way of buying his loyalty. Too often, fish was exchanged for power, resulting in relationships that were characterized by dependency. In these scenarios, giving food or money to the hungry and poor is really just a means to an end.  These instances of giving do not aim at the restoration of dignity to the less fortunate, but rather, at the establishment of a relationship that favors those with resources.

But recently I began to view this old truth in a new light. By “teaching a man to fish” you not only feed him for a lifetime, but you allow him to contribute to his own livelihood and well-being. You empower him to do for himself. Even more important than this lifetime supply of fish is his participation in his own well-being. Flipping this power structure on its head are the ethics of empowerment. By empowering someone to fish for themselves, people can become self-sufficient and independent.  In teaching a man to fish, and thus to provide for himself, the balance of power is restored and equality is once again a reality. He no longer has to rely on the whims or kindness of those with resources, but rather has the ability to provide for himself.

And as if dignity and equality aren’t enough, empowerment leads to benefits that are deeply connected to the human psyche. Humans have an intense desire to be of use. Employment is not merely about earning a paycheck– it is about the deeply human desire to want to contribute to the good of the community. This is one of the reasons why unemployment so often leads to depression. And this furthermore makes sense of the rather counterintuitive trend of depressed and anxious lottery winners. After winning the lottery, people often quit work because they no longer have a need for money. But in quitting work they unknowingly strip themselves of a source of identity and meaning. They are no longer producing anything for the community, no longer actively working for the good of others. They are no longer of use, and this is devastating to self-esteem.

Thus, teaching a man to fish is actually better than merely giving him a fish, but not just because you can feed him for a lifetime. It restores dignity to previously warped relationships and allows others to be of use, which on a very human level is just as important as fish.

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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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You're Invited! Meet Savers

By on 9/9/12 in General, Program Story

Stories of the Long Road Home: How Relationships and Savings are Helping Homeless Families

Join us for an After-Service Coffee & Dessert event
Time: Sunday, September 23rd, 12:15pm
Location: Christ United Methodist Church, 800 Market Street, Chapel Hill, NC

Please join us for a half-hour after the service at Christ Church on Sep 23rd and enjoy coffee and dessert.

You will get to meet and learn from several of CEF’s members who have moved out of the shelter and who will share about their journeys and the unexpected struggles along the way.

This month CEF started a new savings program to help these families sustain their transitions out of homelessness. Members save towards an emergency fund, building a financial safety net for a rainy day. CEF matches members’ savings at 50%, helping families save as much as $3,000 for when they need it most.

CEF needs your help launching this program. The group is recruiting community members interested in sponsoring one of the pilot 10 Savers in this creative program. Learn more, hear incredible stories, and enjoy homemade desserts by joining us on Sep 23rd.

For more information on CEF and its impact in our community, please visit: CEF one-minute video 

And for more information on CEF’s new Sponsor-A-Saver campaign, please see: Sponsor a Saver

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Meet a CEF Saver: Robert

By on 9/9/12 in General, Member Story

Robert will be moving out of the men’s shelter this month. While living in the shelter, he has been saving with CEF towards a security deposit for his new apartment and deposits for utilities. He is disabled and on a fixed income, and has taken the knowledge he gained from our financial education classes to find an affordable apartment that will allow him to continue to save for his future goals.

After he moves, Robert will be continuing to come to our weekly classes to stay connected to the support, resources, and community of the group. Robert has been homeless once before in his life, and when he talks about this move he says excitedly that he “is going to do it right this time. Make plans, keep saving, stay connected.” He is committed to saving monthly towards an emergency fund to make sure that life’s future obstacles don’t bring him back to the shelter.

Robert will be one of 10 pilot members in CEF’s Renter’s Savings Program. The program provides Savers like Robert the opportunity and incentive to save towards an emergency fund, matching savings up to $2,000 with a 50% matching contribution… resulting in an emergency fund of $3,000. Robert is also excited about the opportunities available through this new program to improve his credit score. He dreams of owning his own business and his own home, and knows this is the stepping-stone to those goals.

Help CEF launch this new program. Sponsor a Saver to donate the 50% matching contribution, directly matching the savings deposits of members like Robert.

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“Thank you for believing in me.”

By on 8/13/12 in General, Member Story, Written By Members

We got a really wonderfully nice voicemail from one of our members, and wanted to share!

Hello! I was just calling because I wanted to let you know that I got a job. I had an interview last Friday, and I start today, which is Monday.

I’m excited and scared at the same time. I’m hoping that everything will work out okay. I want to thank you so much for encouraging me and guiding me and believing in me. It means a lot to me.

I know some people think stuff like that doesn’t matter, but it matters so much to me because I know there are certain places I can’t get to in life without other people supporting or helping me. And I have never let anybody support or help me, I never did, and now I see that it’s okay to accept other people’s help or support in order to get where I’m going in life.

I’m glad, and appreciate all of your love and support, and know I couldn’t have done it without you, I know I couldn’t.

But I still want to come up to CEF! I want to save my money, I have to save my money. I have two savings goals by the end of December so I’ll still come up there and I need someone to help me with my money like we discussed, so I’ll still be coming!

Love you!

Read More Member Stories!
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CEF: Community Empowerment Fund
Chapel Hill: 919-200-0233 Durham: 919-797-9233

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