About thecef
Featured Partner: Housing for New Hope
Founded in 1992, Housing for New Hope serves individuals experiencing and at risk of experiencing homelessness in Orange and Durham Counties. In Durham, HNH is one of CEF’s founding partners, helping CEF volunteers conduct Opportunity Classes that serve residents of the Dove and Phoenix recovery houses and Williams Square Apartments.
Jessie Hughes, the Transitional Housing Coordinator at HNH, recently provided CEF with a stellar letter of support for one of our upcoming grant applications. Her words were incredibly kind and we wanted to take a second to thank her and Housing for New Hope for their immense support, and to share some of their sentiments with you all here. Thanks so much Jessie!
From Jessie’s letter:
“What I know is this: CEF is real, they really mean it, they are the genuine article. I have seen CEF representatives treat homeless, drug-addicted, unemployed citizens with the same dignity and respect reserved for public officials. I have watched as they tailored their program to the needs of those they served without hesitation. I h ave witnessed them express authentic joy when sharing a success with one of their clients…”
“I have been a part of many partnerships in my career. My partnership with CEF is the partnership I am most proud of. They are truly unique in their flexibility and willingness to serve. CEF leaves things better than they found them. That is the essence of their work. No job it too big or too small, no project beyond hope.”
Four Job Offers In Two Weeks!
Jackie came in to the CEF offices two weeks ago having lost his only job, and with five kids and a wife to provide for. As of yesterday—he had received four job offers, and started work on two of them! He’s been such an inspiration to all CEF Members and Advocates as to what can happen when you really put your best foot forward every day. Thanks Jackie. Congratulations!
Cupcakes at Coffee Hour!
We loved this picture and had to share it with the world. Sherry Kinlaw, our beloved Board of Directors Treasurer, sent us a surprise delivery of delicious cupcakes a Friday morning a couple weeks ago. Our volunteers and members made quick work of them — thanks, Sherry!
We host “CEF Coffee Hour” every Friday at the Community Empowerment Fund’s office on Franklin Street. Join us some Friday! We don’t always have cupcakes, but we do always have good cheer, plenty of coffee and bagels, and great company.
See you on Fridays!
Members Helping Members
Tommy and Rufus, two CEF Members, helping their fellow member move her furniture into her *new* apartment
When a CEF Member had to move out of her old apartment and into her new home last week, her fellow CEF Members were the first people there to offer a hand and help.
For all of us, the best part about being involved in CEF is the family. For Equashia’s big move, her CEF Advocate (the wonderful Kemper) recruited her college roommate to come and help, and Tommy and Rufus (see pictures!) helped Equashia move all her furniture and boxes in, and got it all done in just an afternoon. Thank you, Tommy, Rufus, Kemper and Sarah!
In gratitude, Equashia is organizing a clean-up day at Tommy’s this coming Saturday, March 10th. She is recruiting fellow members to come help Tommy clean up and settle in to his new place. If you are interested, please contact info@communityempowermentfund.org — Equashia and her fellow CEF Alumni would love to have your support.
Unloading the moving truck
Equashia (CEF Member), Kemper (her CEF Advocate), and Sarah (Kemper's roommate who came to help!)
Act Now! Your Donations Doubled
Thank you Stewards Fund!
The Stewards Fund challenge begins today!
Donate between March 1st and June 1st, and your donation will be doubled.
Why donate to the Community Empowerment Fund? Because you provide one-on-one and ongoing support to unemployed and under-employed individuals, and help low-resource micro-entrepreneurs start and sustain businesses. You bring a unique community of college students and community members together, working alongside each other towards each individual’s financial freedom and well-being.
See the stories of transformation your support makes possible. Meet Maria. Meet Gary.
Join the movement, and help us reach our challenge of raising $10,000 before June 1st. Together, we can get meet the challenge. Thank you for your partnership.
Member Story: Dawn
Dawn was the first CEF member to successfully file her taxes with CEF in 2011 and save her refund towards her goal. Her first goal was to save to move out of the shelter; she reached that goal, and moved into her own apartment last year. Dawn is well on the way to her second goal and now making consistent progress using direct-deposit, but believes “saving during tax season can really take my account to the next level… and fast!”
Dawn recommends, “It’s always beneficial to have something saved up. Spending every penny, you can never get ahead. By saving my refund last year, when I really needed money and was in a crunch throughout the year, I had something I could fall back on.”
Dawn graduated from CEF’s Opportunity Class in June of 2011. She says, “I joined the class because I wanted to be more financially stable… Since the class, I see how I can be more financially independent. I can seethat it’s obtainable. Instead of always being in panic mode, like I have been for years, I’m a little more relaxed. It’s much better to be secure than on panic all the time.”
“I am most proud that I have my own place now. I am truly proud that I am actually heading in the right direction; I’m becoming satisfied with life, and meeting life on life’s terms.” Dawn added that the bonus 10% match she is awarded by CEF when she reaches her savings goals has been a great incentive to keep saving, despite the challenge of saving on a very limited budget.
The moral of the story from Dawn: “Save money, any way you can! [laughing]… As long as it’s legal 
”
Technology Without Borders and the Kramden Institute
Towards the close of Summer 2011, Technology Without Borders (a committee of the Campus Y) and the Kramden Institute came together in a joint partnership with CEF to pilot a new program: the Laptop IDA.Technology Without Borders (TWB) was founded three years ago believing in the power of technology as a force for positive social change. With its initiation, TWB joined the small but growing community of social justice organizations dedicated to bridging the digital divide.
One such organization is the Kramden Institute, which helps thousands of students across North Carolina fulfill their academic and personal potential by providing heavily discounted or free refurbished computers to these students and their families based upon recommendations from their teachers and school administrators.
In its inaugural year, TWB partnered with the Kramden Institute to place computers in the homes of 50 low-income families with students in the community of Abbey Court. TWB supported this effort by developing a free open-mesh Wi-Fi network in the community and partnering with the Human Rights Center to create and maintain computer education classes and after-school programs in the community. The network continues to function in the community and Kramden has graciously provided additional computers.
Today, TWB remains dedicated to programs and partnerships that harness technology for social justice. In collaboration with the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF), the Kramden Institute, and the JobLink Skills Development Center, TWB established the Technology Empowerment for Chapel Hill (TECH) Workshops. These workshops help people save for a refurbished Kramden laptop, learn computer and job skills, earn a computer skills certification, and provide the opportunity to apply for funding to return and teach other students participating in the TECH workshops, making it a sustainable community resource.
Through these and other programs, Technology Without Borders continues to utilize technology that many take for granted to bring about social change and work alongside organizations such as CEF to forge creative solutions to today’s problems of social justice and poverty.
