Birthday Soirée for Southeast Raleigh

305 Forest Road,Raleigh NC 27605

06 November, 2021

Description

What is a need in your life that by bringing together a specific group of people, you might be able to address? Gather out of love, not duty. --Priya ParkerAbout five years ago, I was invited to facilitate a talk about mental health with a group of teens in Southeast Raleigh. These teens had been tasked with identifying their top three, unaddressed needs: 1) Mental health care 2) Impacts of gentrification 3) Lack of anchor institutions in community, such as the YMCA Flash forward to today: I’ve stayed involved and connected with the Southeast Raleigh teens through volunteering with Southeast Raleigh Promise (SERP ), working with them to address the mental health needs of their community as best as we can. Now, after SERP and its community partners opened the new Southeast Raleigh Elementary School, the new Southeast Raleigh YMCA, and the 120 affordable apartment homes that are part of the Purpose Built Community off Rock Quarry Road, they are ready to roll out the final phase of their long-term vision: commercial property dedicated to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Leases on the commercial property are being signed as I write this, and it’s time to make the teens’ dream a reality: For my birthday, I’m asking that you help us raise enough money to open a mental health center in Southeast Raleigh. For first year costs, we must raise $400,000 to rent space and to hire two staff. We need to raise $1 million for 3 years of funding.Rules for this gathering: 1) For all partygoers: For every hard or difficult thing you talk about, you also have to talk about one thing that made you happy and/or one thing that you are grateful for. 2) For neighborhood partygoers: If you talk about the neighborhood name change, you have to contribute $10 to the donation jar. If you want to donate, but can't attend the event, please consider making a donation here: www.ResiliencyCollaborative.org Above: Southeast Raleigh Promise's teen interns, young activists. Below: Interns at work in their community. Please park on street. Enter from driveway or back alley. Bring your mask, but we will be outside. --Tammy Blackard Cook, social worker, resident of Cameron Park, and lover of justice --co-hosted by Jennifer Castillo, Southeast Raleigh Promise Family & Youth Engagement, and activist extraordinaire