DurhamCares - Do You?

We may live in New York now, but Tracy and I both still have a heart for Durham (not to mention a home there!)  The Bull City also houses the Bank’s headquarters, a ton of our closest friends, and countless memories.

It’s no secret that Durham has had its issues over the years - from the decline of the tobacco industry to infamous crime rates, Durham has all too often been the object of haughty sneers from citizens hailing from larger metro areas in North Carolina.

Over the last few years, though, a number of organizations (including our former church home) have helped team up to make Durham a better place.  The progress is slow, but it’s there - Durham is on the way up - it simply needs more people who care.

That’s why I’m so excited about a new organization that addresses this very need:  DurhamCares.org. Founded by successful Triangle entrepreneur Henry Kaestner, DurhamCares aims to “help Durham residents love their neighbors.”

I’ve known Henry for a couple years through the Triangle start-up world and have always found him to be passionate, energetic, and effective - as seen in his success in fouding and growing Bandwidth.com.  Over the last few months I’ve been watching from afar, reading blog posts, checking out Facebook updates, and taking in the DurhamCares story.  Henry and his team have done a fantastic job of building a site and infrastructure to get people like you and me involved in the community.  Now that the organization is up and running, people are really starting to take notice.

One of the unique ways DurhamCares is revolutionizing philanthropy in Durham is through Partner Grants.  They’ve partnered with 8 non-profits (thus far) and have worked with each to set real, measurable goals.  When the organizations meet their goals, DurhamCares will reward them with a $10,000 grant - truly a way to align goals, performance, and rewards!  What’s better, you and I can come alongside DurhamCares and pledge additional funds to the organizations which they will be able to access after reaching their goals.  What a great way to bring accountability and trust to a charitable gift.

Sound like a great idea?  Do you care about Durham?  I’d encourage you to make a partner pledge here, or check out ways you can give of your time as a volunteer.  I’m excited to see how we can change the city, one neighbor at a time.