DURHAM, NC – December 22, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — A homeless family of seven will wake up in their own apartment this Christmas Eve, thanks to the efforts and generosity of a public-private partnership with the City of Durham.
The family, consisting of a young mother, four small children and two teenagers, will move into their new, four-bedroom apartment, located at 2519 South Roxboro Road, Apartment #25, on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, at 12 p.m.
The plight of this family came to the attention of the Northeast Central Durham Adopt-a-Neighborhood for Development (AND) Program, which is a public-private partnership between the Northeast Central Durham Community Engagement Division in the City’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department, corporations, and community members.
The AND Program, along with City’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department, jointly responded to a request from AND Community Programming board members to support this large homeless family by assisting them with finding affordable, permanent housing.
“When we received the request to help this family who had fallen on such hard times, we knew that we had to do something,” said Earl Phillips, assistant director for Community Engagement for the City’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department. “Now, thanks to the dedication and commitment of our corporate partners, community members, and City staff, this family will have a roof over their heads this Christmas and beyond.”
In addition to helping this family find their apartment, the AND Program and the City also helped find donations of furniture, a washer and dryer, toys, clothes, bicycles, and linens. Other contributions included cleaning supplies and toiletries from Kerr Drug, a corporate AND Program sponsor; moving services and toys by Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA); food from the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle; various gifts from individual AND board members; and supportive services from the Family Center and staff.
Finally, both the AND program and City staff are committed to providing long-term support throughout the upcoming year to help ensure this family remains in their home.
For more information about this family or the NECD Adopt-a-Neighborhood for Development Program, contact Melva Henry, NECD Community Engagement Manager with the City’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department, at (919) 560-1647 ext. 34259 or via e-mail Melva.Henry (at) durhamnc (dot) gov.
Information about the Adopt-a-Neighborhood for Development (AND) Program is also available on the City’s Web site at www.durhamnc.gov/departments/nis/necd/and.cfm.
