Camp in Warren County continued its momentum into the second week, transitioning from Fun on the Farm to Food for Thought. Building on what they learned the week prior, youth explored food purchasing and budgeting alongside various forms of food cultivation and preparation. What Campers Learned and Did This week's activities gave campers a hands-on look at where their food comes from and how to make it stretch further at home: Sourdough and focaccia baking, where campers lear

Last week, campers at the Food for Thought Fun on the Farm camp completed the first of two exciting weeks together on the farm! This camp offers nutrition education and hands-on access to fresh food for youth ages 5–14 in the Warren County area, and it wouldn't be possible without the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies, organizations, and individuals, including 4-H, Place-N-the Country Farm, and other local partners who provided educational materials and led hands-on

This June, FFORC team members Gabby Statia and Brett Sheppard traveled to Burlington, Vermont to attend the Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society and Association for the Study of Food and Society (AFHVS/ASFS) annual conference, one of the leading gatherings for scholars, practitioners, and advocates working at the intersection of food, culture, and justice. Gabby and Brett presented a poster titled "Sharing Power, Growing Community: A Pilot in Participatory Grantmaking wi

In the past few months, our team has had the privilege of visiting several of our garden partners to see their work firsthand. These visits come at a significant moment: due to SNAP-Ed funding cuts, we were unable to continue the third iteration of our Participatory Grantmaking (PGM) initiative. PGM was a process that increased project creativity, supported technology and storytelling skill-building, strengthened local partnerships, and offered meaningful peer learning opport

This past week, we took to the streets twice (!) and came away reminded of why community-centered active travel is at the heart of what we do. Rusch Hollow, Chapel Hill — Thursday On Thursday evening, we hosted a community bike ride in Rusch Hollow, a Habitat for Humanity Orange County neighborhood in Chapel Hill. Five riders came out to loop through Rusch Hollow and Phoenix Place, enjoying the summer air and the streets that connect their community. A heartfelt thank you to

Last week, we launched the summer edition of the Fairview Youth in Action internship program, welcoming a new cohort of high schoolers ready to invoke change their community. Over two days, they moved from the classroom to the streets and dove into both the structure of the program and the community's stories. On Tuesday, the group got oriented through workshops and team-building activities, laying the groundwork for the collaborative, hands-on work that defines the program.

May is a month that invites us to think about care — the ways we nurture one another, show up for our communities, and tend to the relationships that keep us going. It was a fitting backdrop for the Women on the Move group's mid-year check-in, which brought members together for an afternoon of gratitude, reflection, and connection. Women on the Move has built something real: a consistent space where people can stay active, socialize, and feel a genuine sense of belonging. At

On May 20th, the Fairview neighborhood came together for a Bike Rodeo and community group ride. What unfolded was an evening of movement, connection, and a few wobbly first attempts at an obstacle course. Participants of all ages had the chance to try out bikes, test their skills on a course, and then head out together for a scenic group ride through the neighborhood. For some, it was a chance to build confidence on a bike. For others, it was an opportunity to get outside and

On Thursday, May 7th, eight members of the Fairview Habitat community received tuned-up bikes, installed bike lights, and properly fitted helmets. The event was made possible through a partnership between FFORC, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, and The Recyclery, with a special thank you to Brian Leu for showing up onsite to make those final adjustments and ensure every bike was road-ready before riders headed out. This bike distribution is part of our broader commitmen

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...