As many of you know, DurhamCares, got it’s start this year. We’ve been remarkably heartened at the response that we’ve gotten from the community and are doubly committed to continuing our work as we all seek to serve and transform Durham. Recently we’ve gotten together to talk about further defining and refining our mission, vision, values and strategic objectives. It’s of course very important that we, who insist on this from the organizations that we promote on this website, practice what we preach. I should note before I go much further that we’re still a relatively small group…....There’s Henry and David (co-founders of DurhamCares and of Bandwidth.com), Heather Jones (Senior Program Manager for Workplace Outreach) and Mike Schneider who fills many roles but principally focuses on content along with our web developer Pete, and on college outreach.

As we’ve gotten together to talk about long term planning, resource allocation and the mission/vision/strategy mentioned above, we thought that it might be helpful to document this process, and in fact much of what happens at DurhamCares in a blog. The hope here is that others from the community will weigh in on what we’re discussing in our internal meetings and what we are seeing and hearing in our external meetings. We haven’t yet really turned on the promotion engine so our expectations on how many folks will contribute is in check, but we’re hopeful that as folks spend time on the site that they’ll let us know what they are thinking, seeing, hearing and doing in Durham. What’s working and what’s not, etc. etc. So without further adieu…..welcome to the new, much more frequent, and hopefully very interactive blog!!! Please let us know what you think!

Durham has it's challenges, but the number of non profits doesn't seem to be one of them. A trip to your mailbox or some basic internet research will tell you that there are hundreds of organizations in our city that are all looking to address some need as they vie for our checkbook. Most, if not all, of them are run with people with great hearts. Are they all being run with great minds, though? God tells us to love him with all of our hearts AND our minds. The Parable of the Talents talks about how a sound mind helps us to make the most of the opportunities that God has given us. This lesson seems to be missed too often, but those who try to apply it/teach it are met with understandable resistance. Criticism of folks that give their lives to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and educate our youth, of course, is never popular.

I had breakfast this morning with Barker French, a man who epitomizes active civic engagement. He clearly has a great mind and encourages those around him to use theirs. He is one of the most connected men that I have ever come across regardless of domain. He has turned his back on passive retirement and made it his mission to serve this city by alternately encouraging and challenging some of the best not for profits in the city. What impressed me though, wasn't his prolific schedule or who he knows, but what he does and how he is using his MIND to get the most out of the minds of those with the best HEARTS in the city. You see, he understands that there are tremendous opportunities to increase the impact of not for profits in this city when they work TOGETHER.

Here's how it works. Barker has a particular conviction to impact the 14-21 age group. He knows that there are a number of programs set up to address this situation from RIL, a summer leadership development hosted at Southern High School, to Yo Durham (a jobs program), to PROUD (an afterschool program) and several others. - The only missing piece in my view would be a faith based organization like Reality or YoungLife, but maybe that's to come - Barker has brought them all together in what he calls a "collaborative" The collaborative brings together program managers to share best practices, information and resources. More importantly, though, they collaborate on their shared mission (serving the 14-21 age program) with the result that they now take care of these kids with programs that provide real guidance and impact over all 12 months and through a variety of disciplines......something that they hadn't done on their own. Rather than competing against each other for the same donor base, they can now present a shared solution that is more compelling to the donor, leading the same group to give more, and broadening out the base to new donors who are only interested in a comprehensive solution. More efficiency, more funding, more results, more kids actively enagaged in making Durham a better place versus the alternative.

Now that's a good idea whose time has come. Here's to more collaboratives across the non profit sectors and here's to more Barker French's!

This past week was a great encouragement to me as we powerfully experienced the diversity and unity of God's ongoing handiwork in Durham. Wednesday, September 10th was a marker for us in Reality Ministries. We somewhat stumbled into the school season at our new Reality Center (at the corner of Gregson and Lamond), having made just enough improvements to welcome our adolescent friends. For the first two weeks a few after school visitors came by every day to shoot hoops, play ping pong, get tutoring, etc. The regulars were white, middle class students; we were thankful, but not satisfied, especially since our desire is to reach kids on the margins. We were convinced that before we got too far down the road to homogeneity, we needed a trajectory-altering event to introduce The Reality Center to a wider and more diverse population.

Last Wednesday's Grill and Chill event was everything we hoped for and more. Dozens of kids showed up after the half-day for Durham Public Schools; they were young people of all types from all different schools. It looked like a microcosm of Durham in the Great Room during the basketball tournament; the racial demographic was reflective of the city.

But one of the most gratifying parts of the day to me was the representation of at least five different groups who want to help kids in Durham. On that afternoon at The Reality Center we had youth workers from Urban Hope, The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club, Child Evangelism Fellowship and our upstairs tenants New Horizons working alongside our Reality Ministries staff. What a collaboration, what a joy!

We didn't have to compare notes to see if we preached the gospel the same way or had similar theologies of conversion, we didn't have to ask one another if infant baptism was preferred, we simply didn't have to make a point of distinguishing ourselves from the other. All of us want adolescents to know Jesus Christ; all believe they are hopeless without him.

In our efforts to reach the multitudes of teenagers in Durham, we have two choices, uniformity or unity-with-diversity. Uniformity is easier, although severely limiting, because the goal is to find other groups who get to the same end in the same way. Unity-with-diversity is much more difficult and downright messy at times, but the effort to love one another in spite of differences in the body of Christ is itself a great testimony to the Lord. Sometimes we adapt to become more similar in order to make things work, other times this is not possible. What is possible, however, is the ability to follow our mutual leader and head and to march under his banner. It's messier, but it's worth it, and it smacks of the Kingdom of God.

The Grill and Chill inaugurated the beginning of my memorable week, but perhaps the very best picture of the Kingdom of God at the Reality Center came six days later. Almost forty of our young friends with cognitive disabilities, African-American, Caucasian, Asian, Indian, Latino - they all gathered for the first of our Tuesday Night Live meetings. Each of our guests was matched up with an able-bodied "buddy." These buddies provided a beautiful tapestry of service; they are Durham's church people from an untold number of denominations and congregations. All present joined in a cacophony of worship and listened to Susan McSwain talk about the Spirit of the welcoming Father and the gentle invitation of Jesus. The diversity was rich, the unity was thick, the joy was deep. If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and in purpose (Philippians 2:1-2).

Durham Cares is spot on for Durham. An organization whose mission is promoting "a heart to help those in need" not only propels us forward toward a more hopeful future for our city; it also takes us back to the city's beginnings and the amazing story of Durham. In a way, Durham Cares beckons us to "Become What We Are"-a city of philanthropists.

My name is Chip Denton and I've lived in Durham for eight years now. I travelled a great distance to get here, all the way across the Great Blue Divide, from Chapel Hill, but I attended Duke back in the 80s so this felt like coming home.

Over the last fourteen years, I've been involved with the founding of a new independent Christian school called Trinity, down at the end of Pickett Road, just at the boundary line between Durham and Orange Counties. We love being in Durham, and we are hopeful about Durham's future. This past summer I thought that hopefulness might be better informed if I learned a bit more about Durham's past, and so I read Duke History Prof Robert Durden's The Dukes of Durham: 1865-1929.

The story of the Dukes and Durham is a story of philanthropy, generosity, habits of giving and serving, and small beginnings which grow into big stories. If we trace the amazing story of the Duke Endowment backwards, we find that James B. Duke's phenomenal gift was inspired, at least in part, by his brother Ben's steady and faithful giving to Trinity College, which started with a $1000 gift to a nearly bankrupt institution in 1887; both brothers learned the habit of giving from their father, Washington Duke, whose "tithe accounts" trace his giving back to the days before the family moved to Durham; and those habits of generosity were taught and instilled by the Methodist Church, to which the Dukes belonged. I'd say the Dukes are Exhibit A for Methodism's founder, John Wesley's famous dictum: "Gain all you can; Save all you can; Give all you can." And this in the days before income taxes and the charitable deduction.

Durham Cares is spot on for Durham because it brings us back to these philanthropic roots and impulses. It challenges us to expand our generosity, invest in projects which benefit the common good, invest in small ways that may grow far beyond what we could imagine. And, perhaps most importantly, the mainspring of this giving is the Gospel truth which the Dukes learned in their Methodist pews: The earth is the Lord's and everything in it; and it is better to give than to receive.

So here's to a new wave of philanthropy, inspired by an old motive, all for a city with a great past and a promising future.

I have recently been impressed by the function of banners in antiquity, especially in warfare. As armies became separated through fierce attacks of an enemy and through chaotic conditions on the battlefield, even brave soldiers became discouraged and disoriented. The strong temptation was to flee or to surrender as one faced seemingly overwhelming odds.

Suddenly to see the banner of one's regiment rising above the smoke, noise, and confusion of the battle gave a warrior a fresh jolt of strength to hang in there. "I am NOT alone out here!" is the message the banner sends to the isolated soldier. As scattered fighters converge on the uplifted banner, they see one another and find new courage. As they begin to fight together side by side, they find that their efforts make a dent in the enemy's forces.

This website is so cool for serving as a banner for Durhamites who care for this community! It reminds us that we are not alone, and that we can accomplish more together than we can apart. I can't wait to see the sign in center field at the DBAP rallying Durham to care! I remember hearing Henry talk about that sign over a year ago, and I think it, too, is a great banner.

Thanks for organizing us a little better than we have been and introducing us to one another across Durham neighborhoods, races, denominations, socio-economic levels and educational backgrounds. Let's work together!

My name is Lydia Baker. I don't have much experience with this blogging stuff, so I'll just tell you what's on my mind and hope that it doesn't have to be in any particular format. I guess it's necessary to tell you a little bit about myself before I get into my story. I am 26 years old and I come from a big, close-knit family. There are five generations alive and well on my mother's side of the family and three on my father's side. Next to my Lord and Savior, family is the most important thing to me. I have had an amazing life because of these relationships. And just to add icing to the cake, I just want to let you know that I will be getting married on September 2, 2008!! I have inherited a beautiful little girl (fiance's daughter), and I am so excited to start a new family.

I know it does not seem like it, but I want to talk about how important it is to be triumphant over a situation in which you are the victim.

Some of my problems started about 50 years ago. No, I do not have poor mathematical skills, just keep reading. I remember nights when my father was intoxicated as he wept and told us stories about the death of his mother. In some ways it seems as though he blamed himself. She died after my daddy was born. He was the youngest of three siblings when she died. Shortly after his mother's death his father married another woman, with whom he had three more children. Although his stepmother was a good person overall, she abused my father and his older brother. As he wept and drank Red Rose, he told us stories about how she beat him and his brother in the testicles with extension cords.

The physical abuse probably didn't hold a candle to the mental and emotional abuse. Just to know that a person could treat someone that you love so dearly this way is so hurtful. Long after his stepmother's death, my father was still suffering from the things that she had done. As a result of the pain that my dad felt, he chose to self-medicate. He abused alcohol and became addicted to crack-cocaine. As you can imagine, this caused problems in our family. Instead of my mom and dad's income, we had to live off of my mother's wages. My daddy's whole check would be used to support his addictions. My mother left my dad about 3-5 times in an attempt to get his attention. We would go to shelters and stay until my mother felt like she could no longer keep the family divided. She made such a huge sacrifice to keep us together. She had to endure financial hardship, arguments, and the stress of doing most things alone as my father struggled with this addiction. One day in 1993, she gathered most of the clothes we had and took her five children to the Genesis Home in Durham, North Carolina. This was probably the most depressing year of my life. [I know this is off topic, but this was the year that Toni, Tony, Tone song called "Anniversary" was really popular. I hate it to this day!] Anyway, we stayed there for a year until my mom got a voucher to move to the West End. We lived on that side of town for about 11 years as my mother went from "welfare recipient" to "business woman"!!!! She started a cleaning company called "C.J's Clean-Rite Service." This company was very successful. Later, she opened an antique store that has now been moved to Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Now...undoubtedly, my dad was a victim of child abuse. But because of the way that he dealt with his issues, many other people suffered. So my question is...At what point do we, as victims, become responsible for circumstances after we have suffered huge injustices? Understandably, it is very difficult to fathom how unresolved pain affects us long after it is inflicted. But many people who choose to avoid, or may not even understand how to deal with tragic situations tend to grieve in unhealthy ways. My father went to the doctor a couple of years ago and was told that his liver was bulging out of his ribs. To this day, he continues to drink. God works miracles, no doubt, but it just hurts me to think about my father's disregard for his own health. Nevertheless, I pray for my father every day. I always ask the Lord to restore his body.

So obviously I feel like I have a pretty good idea about the question that I asked earlier. To refresh your memory, I'll ask it again: At what point do we, as victims, become responsible for circumstances after we have suffered huge injustices? In 1 Peter 5:7 it reads: "Cast all your care upon him; for he careth for you." When we neglect to give our problems to God, that's when we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. Matthew 11:30 reads: "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Problems here on Earth were promised, but God gave us clear instructions on how we must deal with them. Through faith, I know that my father is learning to lean on Jesus. It is an everyday process to build our faith. But it is not something that we try to do on our own. Whether we feel like it or not, the fact remains that God cares. There is an old song that says, "Oh what needless pains we bear; all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer". So until next time, pray more and worry less!!

I love Durham. It is as simple as that. When I think about it, I don't know much about any place else because I pretty much haven't left "my neighborhood." I was born and raised on the West End side of Durham. I was educated in Durham Public Schools on the West End until I attended The old Hillside High School on Concord Street. I literally crossed Fayetteville Street to attend North Carolina Central University. I worked in RTP and at Duke University, then went to Law School at Central. Now, I work downtown Durham and I live in southwest Durham.

Durham is the only place I call home and it has been good to me. That's not to say that Durham is a utopia - but it has gotten I bad rap. I believe that Durham embraces all of the wonderful qualities of a city and it does it LOUDLY! We like our diversity and our history. We are proud of our accomplishments and pretty pushy about our problems. We like to express ourselves in brutally honest terms and that can sometimes affront our neighbors. We have open dialogues, where people can get angry and still walk out friends. We know our problems with race, economics, schools, and let's not forget religion. But we combine all of that and for the most part, we have a lot of fun living life in Durham.... The thing that I like most about Durham is the fact that most Durhamites actually care about those who are less fortunate and we help. We don't like the great divide...we want everybody to have a purpose-filled and prosperous life and we are willing to share. I believe that what we are now seeing is the beginning of a collective dream turning into reality... So many others have pointed at us with disdain.... We are rising to the challenge and we are showing our true colors LOUDLY! The colors of an INVISIBLE GOD, HIS HOLY SPIRIT and remembering HIS ONLY SON JESUS!

John Perkins is in town for an event hosted by the New Beginnings Outreach.     For those of you who don’t know Dr. Perkins, he is a famous Christian veteran   of the Civil Rights Movement and the author of the famous book, “Let Justice  Roll Down.”  He is widely considered to be an expert in the realm of racial  reconciliation and urban communities.  He was born in 1930 and grew up on a plantation as a sharecropper in Mississippi.  The man is inspiring.  He is humble and most of all, he is wise.

He talked about Durham’s great past…a past he implored us all to derive inspiration from and to work hard to resurrect.  I asked him what he thought it would take to restore the level of civic pride that Durham once had.  His answer surprised me in its simplicity and in its delivery, as he replied without hesitation.  

He said that the return of civic pride, particularly from economic resurgence would come from a work ethic instilled in Durham’s youth from a very early age.  Just so that we got the point, he quoted a famous nursery rhyme and did so in a way that only a 78 year old man can really pull off.  In his deep, resonant voice with a distinctive Mississippi accent weathered by a life time of struggle and conquest, he said, “Early to Bed, Early to Rise.  Makes a Person Healthy, Happy and Wise”

That’s not all that John said on the subject.  He also commented on the responsibility we have of teaching principles within the community from the pulpit and outside of church and the importance of home ownership.  But, it was his simple message of hard work that resounded.  We need to work hard to instill the value of hard work in our young, but just as importantly we need to nurture it and encourage it.  On one hand, we need to model that behavior ourselves, on the other we need to make investments in basic job skills, vocational training and entrepreneurial development so that we can make it rewarding for our young folks to enjoy the fruits of “the hard work” that John espouses.   With these programs in place, and with a general shift back to the work ethic that was embodied in the success of the Duke, Carr, Watts AND Merrick, Moore and Spaulding, we will be much, much closer to the time when Durham was an economic juggernaut and when all aspects of community life flourished.  

Can it be as simple as “hard work”?  Maybe not, but it’s a great start.

I recently met a great woman. I know how that sounds, so I'll be clear....Not the GREAT woman that I met 14 years ago that's become my wife, but a great woman nonetheless. Her name is Lydia Baker and she works for Durham's Parks and Recreation Department in Gang Outreach and for Reality Ministries at their new Community Center across the street from the Durham School for the Arts.

Lydia is an African American woman who grew up in Durham, has overcome serious financial hardship during her growing up years and knows the "hood" very, very well. She put herself through NCCU and is equally comfortable talking to a "Blood" or a "Crip," as she is a resident of Forest Hills. She's confident, intelligent and engaging. If some one person is going to be able to make a real impact on gangs in Durham, it's her.

Half way through my conversation with her, it occurred to me: "Lydia," I said, "I think that I might be able to relate to some of these gang members." She gave me a strange look. "You see," I said, "I was in a gang myself." Her look got even more strange. But it was true. I went on to explain that when I was in my late teens and early twenties I had, indeed, been a member of a gang. We had a complex and secretive initiation process, we had each other's backs, and we got into a fair amount of mischief with activities that were against the law. You could tell a member of our gang from sight alone. No, we didn't have the handkerchiefs or shoes that set us apart, but sweatshirts with 3 Greek letters across the front.....Alpha, Tau, Omega. Of course, and as you may have surmised by now, we never called it a gang, we called it a fraternity. The laws we broke were underage drinking, sound ordinances, and occasionally a bit of petty larceny (usually other fraternity's mascots).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning the sometimes very bad crimes that gangs have been known to commit, BUT I think that I understand gangs much better and I can't help but to think: "There but for the grace of God go I."

This revelation helped me to understand gangs much, much better. I don't pretend that the gang members I'd like to meet would welcome me as a kindred member, and I fear that they'll see me as patronizing. But I really would like to engage and counsel these young men. That is why several area fund managers, David (Bandwidth.com business partner) and I are starting Talent Capital for Durham, a group that supports young entrepreneurs with the capital, training, and network they need to start their businesses...look for more on our official launch soon. You can get involved too. Rather than asking you to go find the gangs, however, I want to encourage you to join Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle so you can point children away from gangs. Together we can turn Durham's youth from the illegal ventures and violence of gangs to entrepreneurial ventures that will enable them to give back to the city we all live in together.

Henry and I had an unusual bonding moment this summer. We were invited to a late-night bus ride through the roughest and most crime-infested neighborhoods of Durham. He and I both saw things that most white guys never see in real life... a close up look at the "dark side" of the Triangle.

It's easy to miss. After all, we both live in nicer parts of town. Our schools, businesses, and churches are practically insulated. It's the human propensity to just "stick to your own." But something has changed for both of us. We want to be more engaged.

For me, this shift began happening many years ago. Growing up in a Jewish home, my parents taught me about diversity. I understood the "minority dilemma" and it became important to me to accept others. Later in life, as I became a follower of Jesus, I could no longer ignore what was only 15 minutes away... a part of the city where hope was sparse and oppression was strong. At the same time it was often easier to fly 15 hours to a developing nation and serve, than it was to drive 15 minutes to a "Project" of Durham. But that insanity had to end. It was time to stop taking my clues from Hollywood's globetrotting celebrity caregivers and start getting involved right in my own backyard.

So I started in the Cornwallis Community about 11 years ago. It is less than 10 minutes from our church, King's Park International. It had taken me years to realize this community even existed. It is one of about ten government-sponsored communities of Durham. Growing up we called them "the Projects," but recently the term has changed to "Housing Communities," eliminating some of the stigma.

With a few resources and friends we threw together the Youth Life Center and to my great surprise the Durham Housing Authority gave us a free place within Cornwallis to begin making an impact.

Our first day was interesting to say the least. When our team arrived at the Center to open the doors on the first day, several bullets had been strategically shot through our front door the night before. The timing could not have been worse for a bunch of unpaid volunteers, but I was proud to see that faith was alive and nothing was going to stop our people from showing concern. Was this was a rite of passage? Whatever it was, nothing was going to stop the love of God from flowing.

It was a huge lift when Hall of Fame Football Player Darrel Green, came down from Washington D.C. to be a part of that inauguration. He personally funded the first ten computers and helped cast a vision of what our humble place could become. Another Redskin player shared too. It proved to be significant when men who came out of these communities would address the people right where they were living. Both men let us and the people in the community know that this Center could be a refuge of hope, a place of training, and a resource where dreams could live and not die.

Here is a snapshot of what I've learned from spending time in Cornwallis. First, the families are hurting yet very friendly. They welcomed us with sincerity and ease. It is mostly moms and kids since 99% are single mother households. Fathers are painfully missing. The annual household income averages less than $5,000 (this is not a misprint). When we first went in it was clear that oppression and hopelessness were winning.

It's been more than ten years now of our serving that wonderful community. There have been lots of challenges... more than I would have imagined. My hope of seeing this vision spread throughout Durham has yet to be realized. Often the funds are low and obstacles are high. The Center cannot always meet the needs that are present. Criticism we've faced at times has been justified. But one thing is for sure... many lives have been touched, hope has been released, and many young people have been transformed.

Transformation has happened on many levels. Children have had grades improve from D's and F's to A's and B's. Entire families have broken the chain of poverty and now enjoy jobs, incomes, and new homes outside of governmental intervention. These are the successes that make it all worthwhile. The real heroes, Life Center tutors who serve on a daily or weekly basis, are making a tangible difference that cannot be denied. One such volunteer, Jamie Latham, received an award from President Bush. (Visit www.ronlewisministries.com/letter.html for more information).

I have come to notice several things about the Cornwallis Community. First, we have a lot in common with the people there. My four sons have grown up with their kids. They have enjoyed a common bond in Christ, a common bond in a church family, and wholesome interests that have brought many of their youth to my home, often overnight. Dr. Martin Luther King was so right when he said Sunday morning at 11:00 is the most segregated hour of the week. We are missing so much when we accept segregation in our houses of worship and in our personal homes as well.

Another observation is how much the kids of Cornwallis want to learn and grow. They know something is missing in their lives and homes, and many want to find a way out. Finally, there is a load of talent in the inner city. It is replete with potential world-changers just waiting for a chance. All they need is a little encouragement to keep them from playing out a role they've seen on TV or in their "hood." I believe their dreams can come true with a little help from others.

It's been said, "Don't give the needy a fish, teach them to go fishing," and I agree. But also, let's teach them about pond ownership. These kids are "hungry" enough to make great business and civil leaders. With a little help from all of us, they will.

Many of us share a common hope: we want to transform Durham one life at a time. We've both had enough privileges to last a lifetime. It really is time to give back! It's refreshing to know that giving does not have to be a major sacrifice of effort, time or money. For me, it simply began 12 years ago with a 15-minute drive. That humble beginning brought King's Park and my family more blessings than we can ever repay.

In closing this already too-long blog, I want to ask a question that a scribe asked Jesus 2000 years ago... "Who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29). The Rabbi Jesus wanted to break down the ethnocentric thinking of his followers. He told them the powerful and relevant story of the Good Samaritan. To be honest, I could have spent my entire life and avoided my neighbor... Henry could too. Instead, we chose to get off when the bus stopped that late hot muggy night, and do something to make a difference. How about you? Ready to expand your world?

If you ever want to take a couple of hours and join the Life Center Team, you can find us at http://www.youthlifefoundation.org/. Or, just peruse the great list of opportunities at www.durhamcares.org. Your neighbor can't wait to meet you!