Alleviating Poverty
Durham CAN
Group description: Durham CAN (Congregations Associations and Neighborhoods) is a broad-based, non-profit organization that works to coalesce, train, and organize communities in Durham across religious, racial, ethnic, class, and geographic lines for the public good. It's primary goal is to develop local leadership and organized power to change the conditions that prevent low- and moderate-income families from improving their circumstances.
Overarching Goals: The overarching goal is to increase awareness of and participation in CAN actions among ERUUF members and ministers so that ERUUF is well-represented and supportive of community actions that have been organized in Durham through CAN.
- Contact Person: Heather Ladd
- Role: co-chair
- Email:
- Staff Partner: Rev. Jacqueline Brett, Minister of Congregational Engagement
Homeless Action Group
Group Description:
The Homeless Action Group works in partnership with Urban Ministries of Durham to provide support for homeless and low-income individuals in Durham, NC.
Overarching Goals:
The ERUUF/Urban Ministries Homeless Action Partnership is one way in which ERUUFians live their faith by serving our low income and homeless neighbors. The work that we do helps change lives through the dedicated service and financial contributions of our members. The programs at Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD) is only possible because of the work of volunteers. UMD relies on over 2000 volunteer hours each month to provide housing, clothing and food. Each year over 200 ERUUF members and friends volunteer at the homeless shelter to support the various programs of UMD.
Sister Communities of San Ramon, Nicaragua (SCSRN)
Group Description:
SCSRN was founded at ERUUF in 1993 and has been active since then at ERUUF and other congregations, schools and communities in NC. SCSRN’s mission is to keep justice and human rights in the third world with particular focus on San Ramon. There is an annual ERUUF and Friends cultural immersion ecotour to San Ramon that has included many ERUUFians.
Overarching Goals:
SCSRN partners with San Ramon, Nicaragua to support education and community development initiatives that build friendship, understanding, environmental preservation and respect for human rights.
Read more: Sister Communities of San Ramon, Nicaragua (SCSRN)
Lakewood Elementary Bag Packing Team
Group Description:
ERUUF partners with the Duke University Retirees Outreach Organization (DURO) to provide bags of food each week for qualifying low income families with children at Lakewood Elementary School. DURO manages the organization of the food pantry, the weekly packing list and the procurement of the food, while ERUUF packs the bags each week. ERUUF's cooperative effort in this project came about as a result of a Children in Poverty discussion group at ERUUF in 2014. The project has grown from servicing 15 families to the current 40 families in the past 5 years.