The Endowment gave the non-profits New H.O.P.E CDC and United Way of Cape Fear the funds to disperse among families who meet specific income requirements and show evidence of an overdue rent payment or utility bill, or a quote to fix their car. Robert Campbell, CEO of New H.O.P.E CDC, said this year they have $120,000.
The families who receive the funding must have at least one student who attends either D.C. Virgo, the International School at Gregory, Freeman, Snipes, Forest Hills Elementary schools, Williston Middle, or New Hanover High.
Campbell said the families they help typically earn $28,000 a year and are led by single mothers, and this program is another iteration of the work his organization has been doing.
“The last time we did this, we think we hit about 95,97 people. This time, we think it's about 110, which is our goal. We have $120,000—that doesn't go far. It won't fix people's situation. It just gives them a little bit of breathing room,” he said.
For example, Campbell said, “We can stay in an eviction if the landlord is willing to take the payment; it really starts the eviction process over; it may buy that parent another two months or three months, while their situation gets better.”
He and his team will vet up to 800 applications they’re likely to receive starting on November 17. The software they’ve created with the tech company Zoho will help with that process, too.
Campbell used to have 85 employees, in part, supported by the Healthy Opportunities Pilot program, but when the state legislature failed to pass a budget, the program had to be discontinued. He now only has ten employees. Three of those will be responsible for reviewing those applications.
He said he realized the way to offer this resource through the schools was by seeing the need over the last decade through his organization’s backpack giveaways.
Campbell said applications will close on November 23, and they’re operating on a first-come, first-served basis.
They’ve created around 5,000 information cards in both English and Spanish for students to take home, informing their parents about the program.
He said he’s proud of the community's work in coming together and lending a “helping hand” to those who need it. Still, he added, “We need an ongoing solution, where The Endowment, because they're at the base of so much good work, we need to approve a five-year plan where we are helping people with rental, food, and car repair assistance.”
Campbell also touted the work his organization, with the financial support of The Endowment, has done: they recently purchased a Nixon Street property, renovated it, and reduced rents for three-bedroom units from $2,200 to $1,100. He is also closing on a workforce-housing apartment complex with 11 units. New H.O.P.E CDC will reduce those rents so tenants aren’t paying more than 30% of their income on housing and utilities.
You can find the application link here.
