LOOK FOR THE HELPERS
10 NONPROFIT LEADERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN WAKE COUNTY BY ELIZABETH BRIGNAC PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN MULLINS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
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Dallas Bonavita talks about how Note in the Pocket briefly operated from an empty Spanish classroom loaned by a church. Joy Currey focuses on ensuring
that each teen working with Corral Riding Academy gets the equine therapy she needs. Jan Frantz strives to connect each Read and Feed child with a mentor. Community stories flowed generously from our conversations with the nonprofit leaders profiled in this feature. When asked about themselves, however, several of them seemed surprised. “The article is partly about you,” we kept reminding them. It is, perhaps, unsurprising that people who devote their lives to community service tend to think in terms of the community— and, most of all, about the clients at the center of their work. But, as Mr. Rogers famously told his audience, in times of trouble, it’s a good idea to “look for the helpers.” We didn’t have to look far. Meet 10 of Wake County’s best helpers, and take the time to read about the good work they do to benefit our community.
Dallas Bonavita Executive Director, Note in the Pocket
Dallas Bonavita began working with Note in the Pocket a decade ago. Under her leadership, the program has gone from clothing 1,500 to 5,000 children per year. Clothing availability affects children on many levels, Bonavita says. “It’s social, emotional, mental, physical and educational … it hits them in a hundred different ways.” Bonavita acknowledges programs like Dress for Success for adults. “Our children need the same advantages and self-confidence,” she says, emphasizing that the program’s goal is to provide kids with clothing that fits properly. Note in the Pocket is expanding into Durham County soon. “Clothing insecurity is something that nobody is really addressing on a significant level anywhere nationally,” Bonavita says. Someday, she hopes Note in the Pocket will fill that gap.
Susan Bowers
Executive Director, Helene Foundation
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROB LEWIS
The Helene Foundation assists Triangle-area mothers who lack social support and have been diagnosed with cancer. “These women—they don’t have anybody,” says Susan Bowers, who has directed the foundation since 2012. Through vendors, the foundation supports household needs and removes sources of stress. It funds services like house cleaning and childcare, and provides necessities like gas money and school supplies. If a mother dies, the foundation offers support to her family. “I’ve got the most heartbreaking job because I see firsthand what these families go through,” Bowers says. “But it’s also heartwarming, because I get to see the relief that we can bring to them.” To date, the foundation has supported 254 families and more than 500 children.
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