From the Duke News Service

May 9, 2001

The Duke University-Triangle United Way Community Partnership announced this week it will present nearly $66,550 in grants to 11 local organizations, community outreach programs, schools and a children's museum.

"Duke University and Triangle United Way believe it is important for local organizations and schools to continue to work with one another toward a common goal of strengthening our community," said Sam Miglarese, assistant director of the Duke Office of Community Affairs, who coordinated the 2001 grant application process with Triangle United Way Senior Vice President Linda Tuday. "We hope that these grants will help to enhance those connections."

Created in 1997, the Duke-United Way partnership designates a portion of annual Triangle United Way donations made by Duke employees to programs that address key community and educational issues in the 12 neighborhoods and seven public schools near Duke's campus. Local groups submit funding proposals, and a committee — comprised of campus, community and Triangle United Way representatives — selects the recipients.

This year the Duke-United Way partnership received 17 requests for $124,145 in funding and awarded 12 grants adding up to the largest single-year contribution to date.

The 2001 partnership recipients are:

• Busy Street Children's Museum — $5,000 for Play It Safe project;
• Calvary Ministries of the West End Community — $10,000 for Community-Build Playground project;
• Duke-Durham Partners for Youth — $9,800 for two programs: Teen Careers project ($4,800) and Teen Leaders project ($5,000);
• Durham School of the Arts — $650 for Teacher-as-Scholar workshop;
• E.K. Powe Elementary School — $15,000 for Science Learning Laboratory;
• Northside Baptist Church — $3,000 for after-school program;
• St. James Family Life Center — $15,000 for Economic Empowerment project;
• St. John's Missionary Baptist Church — $2,000 for Youth Ministries program;
• Walltown Children's Theatre — $500 for marketing, publicity and communications;
• Walltown Neighborhood Ministries — $4,000 for after-school community coordinator; and
• West End Community Center — $1,600 for Teen Focus Summer Camp program.

The grants enrich the university's goals for the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership Initiative by providing short-term financial support for innovative projects that might not otherwise secure funding, Miglarese said. The Duke-United Way collaboration also helps generate interest for the Triangle United Way campaign among campus and Duke University Health System employees.

"By working together, Duke, the Triangle United Way and these grant recipients can enhance our collective impact in our partner neighborhoods and schools," Miglarese said. "And that means that needed services will reach our community."

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