Community Stories

Pictured: Molly De Marco (FFORC, right), Linda Parson (Rusch Hollow resident, middle), and Ivonne Headley (left) hosting the workshop On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, we continued our active travel workshop series with a visit to the Rusch Hollow Habitat for Humanity community in Chapel Hill, NC. Partnering with residents, we shared practical information on getting around the community using local transit resources including Chapel Hill Transit's HS route, the Transit smartphone

The 2025 held meaningful progress and real loss, and we wanted to document both honestly through this year’s Annual Report.  You'll find project updates from across our portfolio: Community Gardens, Communities on the Move, the Transit Equity Initiative, and Community-Designed Programs, among others. You'll also read our team's full statement and response to the federal SNAP-Ed cuts — a decision is ending a funding partnership our program has sustained for 15 years and has al

At the end of March, we had the pleasure of co-hosting an after-hours bus ride for residents of the Fairview community in Hillsborough, in partnership with Orange County Public Transportation (OPT). The evening kicked off at the Dorothy N. Johnson Community Center, where community members boarded the bus for a guided ride along the Orange Loop. For many attendees, it was a chance to experience the route firsthand and see what their local public transit system has to offer. We

Last week, the Fairview community showed up, shovels in hand and sleeves rolled up, for Creek Week 2026 at the Dorothy N. Johnson Community Center. The event brought together neighbors, youth, and local partners, collaborating to expand the existing rain garden and plant native species across the center's grounds .   What Is Creek Week? Creek Week is an annual community event focused on the health of local waterways. This year's workshop gave participants a chance to go beyo

A well-used shortcut connecting the neighborhood to Fairview Park just got a major upgrade — and the timing couldn't be better. With last weekend's ice storm behind us and another round of winter weather on the way, residents now have a safer, more accessible path to reach the park, the community center, and nearby bus stops. This pathway improvement is part of the Communities on the Move program’s Activate! plan, which works to contribute to physical improvements that enhanc

As we begin 2026, FFORC is pleased to announce the launch of two comprehensive digital skills training series designed specifically for nonprofit staff, community organizers, and community partners. These trainings were inspired directly by lessons learned from our participatory grantmaking (PGM) initiative. Partners voiced challenges with the technological aspects of the process but found tremendous value in learning digital skills applicable to their broader community work.

What better way to embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving than through community connection and movement! 🤝 On November 23rd, we partnered with Hope NC, B3, and Habitat for Humanity's Weavers Grove community for their Turkey Trot event—marking our team's first collaboration with organizations serving individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Attendees experienced active movement through several stations: 🚲 🥤Bike-powered smoothie makers (bicycles mount

The Women on the Move program just wrapped up its final class with instructor Emily —closing out a season of movement, motivation, and mutual support. These incredible women showed up week after week, gaining confidence in their bodies, striving towards their personal health and fitness goals, and growing together as a community. Throughout the year, participants demonstrated exceptional commitment — showing up consistently to build confidence, work toward personal health and

For the third consecutive summer, a collaborative effort between PORCH–Hillsborough, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina (FBCENC), and Fairview Youth in Action has supported the bi-weekly distribution of Farmer Foodshare food boxes to 50 families in the Fairview community of Hillsborough.   This seasonal program is designed to address a critical gap in food access during the summer months, when school-based meal programs are typically unavailable. Each box inc

Our team has published a new paper examining our pilot participatory grantmaking process. The research, now available in the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, offers insights for anyone interested in more equitable approaches to funding community-based work.  Working with an established network of community garden partners across rural North Carolina, we piloted a specific form of participatory grantmaking called "network voting." We were fortunate to be guided

The transition from high school to the next stage in life – a challenging time for most youth – is especially difficult for foster...

Participatory Grantmaking | September 29, 2025 PGM Partner Update! Check out the latest from Fairview! #TogetherWeGrow...

FFORC | September 23, 2025 Our team was honored to have Rev. William Kearney, along with student researchers James and Victoria, lead a...

Warren County Farmers Market | September 19, 2025 🛒 Shop local. Eat seasonal. Support your community. Visit us this Saturday at the...

Participatory Grantmaking | September 17, 2025 PGM Partner Update! Check out the latest from Coharie! #TogetherWeGrow...

FFORC | September 12, 2025 Yesterday, we gathered to celebrate the retirement and incredible contributions of our dear friend and...

Women on the Move | September 9, 2025 👟 What a day! Women on the Move hosted our 2nd Annual Shoe Giveaway on Friday, Sept. 5th—and it...

Participatory Grantmaking | September 3, 2025 PGM Partner Update! Check out the latest from Diversity Nurtures Achievement (DNA)!...

FFORC | August 28, 2025 Community change takes time... Developing community partnerships, finding ways to increase access to healthy...

Transit Equity | August 26, 2025 Efland Back to School Bash! ☀️🚲🐾 We had a blast connecting with our neighbors at the Efland Cheeks...