Dozens of Charlotte small businesses have benefited from the city’s “Open for Business” program. ncIMPACT examines how this COVID-19 relief program is giving small businesses help when they need it the most. Economic Mobility – For More Information The Challenge … Read more

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that 40,056 veterans are homeless on any given night. Among veterans, women are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. Forty-four percent of Buncombe County’s homeless population are veterans compared to seven percent nationwide. Homeward Bound of Western North Carolina collaborates with numerous community partners to overcome this problem.

In 2018, 12% of adolescents in NC attempted suicide, with an even greater number expected to attempt suicide in the context of COVID-19. School closures and mandatory social distancing, coupled with stressful home environments, place adolescents with suicidal urges at significantly greater risk for suicide. Appalachian State University is partnering with seven schools and three counties to prevent suicides in Allegheny, Ashe, and Watauga Counties.

Join ncIMPACT Initiative Director Anita Brown-Graham as she explores related challenges and collaborative solutions with a panel of North Carolina experts.

– Anna Yaros, Research Clinical Psychologist at RTI
– Conor O’Neill, Medical Instructor at Duke University School of Medicine
– Dana Griffin, Associate Professor at UNC School of Education

In the wake of recent incidents involving police use of force and other issues, the role of the police has been questioned in many communities. In North Carolina, the Jacksonville Police Department is receiving accolades for its “One City, Our City, My City” campaign that promotes respect, caring, and collaboration, including strategies to counter misunderstandings about mental health and opioid abuse.

Join ncIMPACT Initiative Director Anita Brown-Graham as she explores related challenges and collaborative solutions with three expert panelists.
– Sen. Mujtaba A. Mohammed, Senator at NC State Senate District 38 & Assistant Public Defender
– Dr. Tobi Gilbert, Psychologist at Jacksonville Police Dept.
– Mayor Jacques Gilbert, Mayor of Apex & Retired Police Captain

Historic preservation projects deliver economic benefits to communities in North Carolina. Towns hurt by textile factory and mill closures are collaborating with local government and community groups to implement adaptive reuse projects and incubator programs. Their innovation is paying off. Learn about Rocky Mount Mills and a brewery incubator program working to boost the local economy in Rocky Mount, NC.

Health outcomes are impacted by a person’s access to nutritious food, physical activity, education, and their job status. For high risk communities, improving outcomes means tackling these upstream issues with a multi-faceted approach. Learn about a collaboration happening in Gaston County to bring better outcomes to a low-income African American community.

Employers need workers for high-skill jobs. Workers need training beyond a high school diploma to access those jobs. And state governments need a certifiably skilled workforce to meet their education goals, attract industry and contribute to their economies. Increased attainment of credentials with labor market value is a priority in NC’s education attainment action plan.

ncIMPACT Initiative Director Anita Brown-Graham explores related challenges and collaborative solutions with these expert panelists:
– Scott Ralls, President at Wake Tech
– Jeni Corn, Director of Strategic Initiatives at myFutureNC
– Wendy Walker-Fox, Workforce Development Director at Piedmont Triad Regional Council

Access to efficient, healthy water and wastewater services is a significant problem for historically disadvantaged communities, both in North Carolina and nationally. The North Carolina Division of Water Infrastructure exists to improve access to efficient, healthy water and wastewater services for rural communities. The Division was created in 2013 to bring all water infrastructure funding programs together, providing support to get water utilities on firmer footing, making them more logistically and financially sustainable. When small communities struggle to provide services to residents, the Division often encourages combining into regions for long-term success.

Entrepreneurs in rural communities face different challenges than those in urban areas. A less dense population means there may be fewer resources available for startups, including affordable office space, access to mentorship and training, or even connecting with relevant stakeholder or market networks. In eastern North Carolina, the City of Wilson partnered with RIoT and Greenlight to create Gig East, a coworking space in downtown that is also home to a startup accelerator program and other entrepreneurship programming.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Carolina textile industry has been at the forefront of the PPE manufacturing effort, organizing a rapid response to the rising needs of front line workers. The Carolina Textile District, a network of textile manufacturers in North and South Carolina, responded to the pandemic by arranging a collaborative solution to their members’ financial challenges that also provides vital personal protective equipment that remains in short supply.