North Raleigh Ministries Celebrates 20 Years Serving Community

New Crisis and Development Center Opens to Help More People Thrive

RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- North Raleigh Ministries celebrated 20 years of serving Raleigh individuals and families in crisis with the grand opening on Tuesday of its new Crisis and Development Center at 2809 E. Millbrook. A $1M grant from Wake County and additional funding from North Raleigh Ministries' partners and corporate donors enabled the organization to open the 19,300-square-foot facility, which houses a food pantry, program staff offices, classrooms, and private and group meeting space. North Raleigh Ministries provides resources and transformational services to people unable to meet basic living needs. The new center allows North Raleigh Ministries to increase its service area from 7 to 11 of Raleigh's 15 zip codes.

"Because of the Wake County Community Capital Grant, North Raleigh Ministries has expanded our Healthy Food Pantry and increased our program offerings to serve even more citizens of Wake County. This grant helped us open doors to increase our private fundraising efforts. As a direct result, we have launched our "Building Strong Foundations" capital campaign to nourish, equip, and empower those in our community seeking stability," stated Lesley Funk, Director of Programs, North Raleigh Ministries.

Since moving its pantry to the new facility in May, the organization has provided 972 sets of groceries to people in the community. In addition to food support, North Raleigh Ministries also offers coaching and pastoral care through offerings like the Journey Program, a 12-week program for individuals and families to learn financial literacy, gain confidence from sharing similar experiences, and develop workable budgeting options to stabilize their living situations and prevent them from becoming homeless. After completing the program, 93% of Journey graduates no longer need additional assistance.

"I had given my power away financially, and I have two young children, ten and eight, and that gave me the desire and courage to join the program. It was a safe space. They showed me dignity, kindness, respect, and grace," said Naweah, a Journey Program graduate and Peer Facilitator. "The personal growth I received would not have happened without the cohort I was with, and that made such a big difference because you could hear other people's stories. You could see where they were. You could communicate and tell the truth where you are and where you're headed."

"I lost my husband a couple of years ago, so trying to get on a budget with one income, getting ahead, and doing it on my own was not possible," said Kimberly, a Journey Program graduate and Child Care Volunteer. "Once I walked in the door, I knew I was in the right place."

Susana and Franciso, Journey Program graduates and Peer Facilitators shared, "We were in a difficult financial position. I was a doctorate student working five jobs, and still we couldn't catch up," said Susana. "It was a safe space. I felt supported, and I was more confident," said Francisco.

North Raleigh Ministries will start "Mindful Meals" groups on October 8^th to address food insecurity, isolation, and the health and well-being of Raleigh's older population who frequently use the organization's Crisis Food Assistance programs.

Since 2004, North Raleigh Ministries has served nearly 100,000 Raleigh residents. In 2023, North Raleigh Ministries helped nearly 9,500 adults and children with grocery assistance and provided crisis support for more than 1000 families. After graduating from the Journey Program, 32 families collectively paid down nearly $24,600 in debt and saved more than $17,000 for their emergency funds. Visit https://northraleighministries.com/ 

Contact: Joshua Starling, NRM Development Director
                 919-844-6676
                 [email protected]

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SOURCE North Raleigh Ministries