What is a community partner?
Community partners are organizations in Durham that have elected to solicit support from dPS Fellows. The organizations cover a wide variety of causes and play a unique role within the greater Durham community. Each year, individuals in the dPS Fellowship program are matched with a community partner. Throughout the course of the year, fellows work closely with the organizations and develop strong relationships to them.
2022-2023 Community Partners:
Community Empowerment Fund
The mission of CEF is to empower and support community Members through meaningful relationships, with the ultimate goal of ending the racial wealth gap. Advocates are volunteers trained to walk with Members in achieving their goals, often related to housing, employment, or financial independence. Advocates are not experts, but are curious, empathetic, and highly dedicated team players who commit to working 1-1 with CEF Members to celebrate achievements and provide long-term, relationship-based support through challenges and barriers.
Audacity Labs
Audacity Labs empowers 9th-12th grade youth to work together to conceive, develop, and launch their own start-up venture, focusing on entrepreneurship and economic development. There are a number of ways that previous dPS fellows have gotten involved with Audacity Labs, but this year, fellows will be able to design a measurement system to collect data on youth participation, write grants for the organization, and mentor high school students as they prepare for college applications. Fellows will interact with Audacity Lab’s diverse youth population while learning more about data science collection and reporting.
Reality Ministries 
Reality Ministries creates opportunities for adults with and without developmental disabilities to experience belonging and kinship. Friendship, and the belonging it brings, is at the heart of their community. Every week, there are over 30 discrete small groups that meet at the Reality Center. The subjects run the gamut, from anime to karaoke to a happy hour to farming to cooking. The groups meet all throughout the day and in the evening, allowing for volunteers to foster genuine friendships rooted in inclusivity and shared interests throughout the week.
Museum of Durham History
Coined the “Museum without walls,” the Museum of Durham History preserves and shares Durham’s rich history in their Downtown location, exhibits found throughout Durham, and their growing online presence. The museum allows community members to engage and connect with the city’s heritage and history through stories about the people, places, and things of Durham. Fellows will contribute to the museum’s mission by digitizing historical exhibits and bolstering the organization’s social media presence.
Iglesia Emanuel
Based in a local Hispanic church, Iglesia Emanuel’s Food Pantry and Learning Center serve to fulfill the needs of food insecure community members. Through a completely volunteer-run effort, Iglesia Emanuel provides food to over 600 families in Durham. Fellows will support both the Food Pantry and the Learning Center, through food packaging and distribution as well as personalized tutoring with K-12 students. The hands-on nature of Iglesia Emanuel’s mission will allow students to foster the joy and potential of families and students throughout Durham’s communities.