NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: A DOORWAY TO HOPE

By Jordan Lappin 

More than 10% of the one million people living in Wake County live in poverty. That breaks out to over 106,000 people who struggle to make ends meet every day. What is even more heartbreaking, is that of those 106,000 people, ONE in four are children. According to the News and Observer’s special report, “North Carolina has one of the country’s fastest rising poverty rates. A decade ago, we were 26th – a little better than average. Now we’re 11th, speeding past the competition. We’ve also seen, over the same period, one of the steepest increases in the ranks of the uninsured.”

Now more than ever, as inflation has caused a steep increase in prices: groceries, gas, clothes, etc., families around the Triangle are struggling. And this is where A Doorway to Hope can help. A Doorway to Hope is a Christian organization that was founded in 2010 to serve working, low income families who are at a crisis point and need a helping hand. The mission of A Doorway to Hope is to provide necessary resources and links to local services to give temporary, emergency help. Rather than subsidizing income, A Doorway to Hope links working families in crisis with partner agencies to meet their immediate needs with one-time assistance returning them to a state of self-sufficiency. The organization partners with Wake County Public School social workers, churches, and other community agencies to carefully screen working families in need, many of whom do not qualify for government assistance. 

Since A Doorway to Hope began in 2010, they have provided financial assistance to help 500+ families from evictions, the Summer Foods Program has served more than 2,000 meals, and the Angel Tree Project has provided over 3,000 children with necessary clothing items and toys.
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A Doorway to Hope was started by a group of women  from St. Michael’s Church in Cary. Their Executive Board consists of three individuals: Maria Young, co-founder, President and Executive Director, Vice President Laura Grelck, who also serves as the co-director of the Crisis Team, and their Treasurer and co-founder, Martina Young. Their board consists of 13 dedicated members and they have many volunteers that serve in various capacities.

One of the most unique things about their organization is that they are a 100% volunteer run non-profit. They have wonderful partnerships with some of Triangle Care’s partnered organizations like a Note in the Pocket, Catholic Charities, and Dorcas Ministries to collaborate to meet all the needs a family may have.

If you’re interested and would like to volunteer, A Doorway to Hope has a number of volunteer opportunities, especially during the Holiday season. Check out their website for more information!