“When you are with CEF, you are a part of the thread that makes us all one community.” Chinita is a CEF graduate, and her poetic statement during a CEF celebration perfectly describes the palpable connectivity in this community. Whether we’re weaving together programs and resources to form a holistic network of support, or connecting […]

When Steven Howser first came to the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) around four years ago, he was seeking work development assistance to help him qualify for a seven day bus pass at the shelter. After years of support and involvement with CEF, Howser has not only secured income and housing, but is also giving back. […]

Romeo, Romeo! Ms. Laverne adores her Romeo She showers him daily with belly rubs and bacon bits. “If you rub his belly, he’ll go to sleep,” Ms. Laverne intimates. And Romeo has stuck with Ms. Laverne through thick and thin, including the years when they were sleeping in her car, and in and out of […]

“Six months ago, I was a person that lived in the trees. When [Hurricane] Matthew was running, and you were home safe, I was in the trees. Thinking about if they fell on me, would anyone find me? I was in the trees. I was in the trees because I could no longer afford housing […]

“It’s a process, not an event,” says Cameron. After staying outdoors, in abandoned buildings, and shelters over the last 2 years, he’s just moved into a home of his own in Chapel Hill. “I walked in, dropped all my stuff on the ground, that was the beginning.” Cameron was first connected to CEF in 2013 […]