Debbie Reed moved to Durham in 2014, after a career as a management consultant for both For-Profit and Non-Profit organizations. Her Non-Profit career took her through various parts of the world including India, Tanzania, and Kenya before arriving in New York as the COO of the National Academy Foundation. At the National Academy Foundation, Reed supported the agencies mission to create specialized programs within public high schools to teach students essential personal and professional skills such as finance. Upon retirement, Reed moved to the Southeast United States to be closer… Read More
Fayetteville Region: Parish Highlight Series Support from local parishes is vital for Catholic Charities offices to meet the many and various needs of individuals and families within the Diocese of Raleigh. Each year, the staff at the Catholic Charities Office in Fayetteville witness the enthusiasm for helping others displayed by local parishes which supports them in providing high quality services to the community. This week, we are featuring the incredible work of Good Shepherd Catholic Church and their local Knights of Columbus Council who have been incredible supporters of the… Read More
Support from local parishes is vital for Catholic Charities offices to meet the many and various needs of individuals and families within the Diocese of Raleigh. Each year, the staff at the Catholic Charities Office in Fayetteville witness the enthusiasm for helping others displayed by local parishes which supports them in providing high quality services to the community. Even in the midst of the pandemic, this collaboration never stopped coming. Without local churches and their constant support, the office would not have been able to do all that they did…. Read More
*For privacy concerns, names were changed in this story. Eviction is a reality that far too many families face when they struggle to pay their bills each month. This is the situation that Diane Lane found herself in before coming to the Durham Community Food Pantry, a program of Catholic Charities. After suffering job related injuries, Lane’s monthly income dwindled down to only $400 a month. As a result, she was struggling to pay her December rent. On top of her financial challenges, Lane was also caring for her elderly… Read More
While all food pantries provide clients with groceries, there exist varying pantry operation models, each with their own benefits and accompanying challenges. Over the past several decades, doctors, nutritionists, sociologists, policy analysts, and other social scientists have studied the methods and operations of different food pantry models. Their work has reviewed the effects of operations on clients’ individual lifestyles, as well as the effects of operations within larger social structures. This research has resulted in the recommendation that the opportunity for client choice be included in the food distribution model…. Read More
At the Catholic Charities offices of the Raleigh, Cape Fear and Tar River Regions, staff and volunteers worked tirelessly over the past few weeks to ensured that dozens of families are able to enjoy the holiday season, through the “Wrapped with Love” Christmas Program. This year has been very difficult for many families. Sharing gifts, despite the new restrictions that limit the organization of large gathering of people in one place, would provide some much needed joy for families. In Raleigh, at Centro para Familias Hispanas, the Wrapped with Love… Read More
The Newman Catholic Student Center Parish at UNC Chapel Hill (NCSCP) is a pivotal and invaluable partner to the Catholic Charities Durham Community Food Pantry (DCFP). Since the inception of the DCFP, the NCSCP has been an ardent supporter in providing food drives, as well as individual donations. This fall, the NCSCP held their annual Thanksgiving Food Drive in support of the DCFP, titled the “Trunk to Truck Thanksgiving Food Drive.” Through this effort, parishioners donated groceries in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. Volunteers representing UNC students, parishioners, which… Read More
Suzan Perry started volunteering with the Durham Community Food Pantry in April 2020, right as the food pantry was adapting to distributing groceries during COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, many volunteers had decided to stay home for their safety, leaving a gap in serving the community. Staff conducted outreach efforts to find additional volunteers, which successfully recruited new dedicated helpers like Perry. “Without new volunteers like Suzan, we would not have been able to respond to COVID-19 like we did.” shared David Juarez-Torres, Durham Community Food Pantry Program Director. Hearing… Read More
Catholic Parish Outreach Food Pantry – Raleigh As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, Catholic Parish Outreach (CPO) is experiencing its busiest time of the year. Hundreds of individuals and families are served in this time leading up to the holiday. On Tuesday, November 24th Bishop Luis Rafael joined CPO volunteers as they distributed food to clients. He spoke with volunteers before food distribution began and thanked them for their faithful service. This year food distribution was different due to COVID-19. The room where clients usually wait for a ticket is now… Read More
Eastern North Carolina has been battered by hurricanes over the past few years. Out of the devastation, many groups have reflected on service delivery methods and implemented changes to improve response activities for future storms. One example of this happening are steps that the Catholic Charities Cape Fear Office and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina – Wilmington Branch have taken to get food to survivors more quickly following a storm. Hurricane Florence brought multiple days of heavy rain to the state. Some rivers did not reach… Read More
