Wildlife and nature

Animal shelters and rescues

Theater and dance

Rivers, parks and trails

Hunger and food

Schools and learning

Housing and homelessness

Community health

Mental health

Mentoring and foster care

Legal help and rights

Jobs and money help

Atlanta

The Triangle

Everywhere

The Collective Workshop

Royal Animal Refuge

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

Georgia Advancing Communities Together

Atlanta Writers Club

Cobb Collaborative

Bosleys Place

Jewish Fertility Foundation

Cashmere Bentley

Meg Olhasque

LARHONDA LESLIE

CARY CAIN

PAULINE ROBINSON

CLINT MCSHERRY

KEVIN MORIN-KENSICKI

BILL DEFULVIO

NAKEETA THARPE

Samantha Alexander

Chonna Campbell

Citlalli Alaniz

Programs

Events

About

Fall campaign

Haven’t heard yet? StepUp Durham is hosting our FIRST-EVER Fall Fest! 🎉 Join us for a celebration of creative entrepreneurs and our community, featuring vendors, exhibitors, artists, makers, and creators! 📅 Friday, November 13 📍 Hi-Wire Brewing Durham ⏰ Starting at 5pm 🎟️ Free admission + family friendly! Bring your coworkers, family, friends, and neighbors! Share this post with your crew, save the date, and come have some fun with us! 💙 Help keep the momentum going! Donate to our fall campaign at the link in bio. Sponsorships are still available—contact meg@stepupdurham.org.

Meet Kayla! 👋 New to Durham and looking for a job, she came to StepUp after her mother, a former participant, shared her positive experience. Now we’re here to support Kayla as she takes her next step. 💙 You can help more people like Kayla through our Ready. Set. RISE! fall campaign. Donate at the link in our bio or contact meg@stepupdurham.org about sponsorship opportunities. Then come celebrate with us at Fall Fest! 🎉 📅 Friday, November 13 | 3:30–8 p.m. 📍 Hi-Wire Brewing, 800 Taylor St., Durham Enjoy local creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs, plus beer, food, games, and more! Admission is free, and the whole family is welcome. Bring your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors. Pull up, pop out, and have some fun with us! 🎨🍻

Haven’t heard yet? StepUp Durham is hosting our FIRST-EVER Fall Fest! 🎉 Join us for a celebration of creative entrepreneurs and our community, featuring vendors, exhibitors, artists, makers, and creators! 📅 Friday, November 13 📍 Hi-Wire Brewing Durham ⏰ 3:30–8 PM 🎟️ Free admission + family friendly! Bring your coworkers, family, friends, and neighbors! Share this post with your crew, save the date, and come have some fun with us! 💙 Help keep the momentum going! Donate to our fall campaign at the link in bio. Sponsorships are still available—contact meg@stepupdurham.org.

Calling all creatives! 🎨 Spaces are still available for Fall Fest: A Celebration of Creative Entrepreneurs! All participating vendors and exhibitors will be entered into an end-of-event drawing for a $100 gift card! 📅 Friday, Nov. 13 | 3:30–8 p.m. 📍 Hi-Wire Brewing | 800 Taylor Street, Durham 🎉 FREE & open to the community! We’re halfway to our $50,000 Ready. Set. RISE! goal! Our Fall Campaign will culminate with Fall Fest, bringing our community together to celebrate creativity, entrepreneurship, resilience, and everything our participants are working toward. Thank you to our sponsors for helping create employment opportunities and second chances in Durham! Want to exhibit or become a sponsor? Message us! @hiwirebrewing_durm @recitynetwork Artists | Creatives| entrepreneurs | Durham | Crafts | Painters | Festival | Local Vendors | Exhibitors

We’re proud to recognize Susan and Michael Hershfield as the first Gold Sponsors of StepUp Durham’s 2026 Ready. Set. RISE! Fall Campaign. Susan and Michael have been longtime supporters of StepUp Durham and an important part of the stability that allows us to keep showing up for job seekers and families across our community. Their generosity has strengthened our foundation, supported our growth, and give us the confidence to keep building for the future. Their continued belief in our mission means more than we can say. We’re deeply grateful for their partnership, their encouragement, and the steady support they have provided over time. Thank you, Susan and Michael, for once again standing with StepUp Durham.

Did you know? StepUp Durham began with local residents asking how they could help more Durham neighbors find work and build brighter futures. That community commitment helped open our doors in 2015—and it’s still at the heart of our work 11 years later! 💙 To our participants, staff, volunteers, and supporters: YOU are part of this story. Thank you for showing up, believing in possibilities, and taking the next step with us. Want to help us celebrate? Donate or sponsor our Ready. Set. RISE! Fall Campaign. Let’s keep building a future full of hope and opportunity! Link in bio.

Want to make an impact in the Durham community? Help us give others a second chance. 💙 Meet Humberto, a veteran who came to StepUp Durham to rebuild his life after wrongful incarceration. With support from StepUp, he pursued paralegal classes and secured a role with Legal Aid’s DEAR Program. Today, he helps others move forward through license restoration and expungement services. Your support of Ready. Set. RISE! helps provide the training, resources, and community that make new beginnings possible. Read Humberto’s full story and support our Fall Campaign at the link in bio!

A big moment to start our week off! @cargill is our first Silver Sponsor for our 2026 Fall Campaign! 🎉 Cargill’s work is rooted in nourishing people. Their investment in StepUp Durham carries that commitment into our community, helping participants pursue stable work and stronger futures for their families. Thank you, Cargill, for believing in the people of Durham and what’s possible when opportunity meets determination.

Meet Whitney! She’s navigating a career transition and discovered StepUp Durham at her local library. Through our program, Whitney’s tapping into valuable resources and networking opportunities. Her journey highlights how tailored support can spark change and foster growth within our community. Want to make a difference in the lives of others navigating the job market? Our Fall Campaign is in full swing! Ready, Set, RISE with us! Link in bio or visit www.stepupdurham.org/campaign-26.

Oh look, it’s our favorite supporter. YOU! 👀 Haven’t donated to StepUp Durham’s Fall Campaign yet? There’s still time to help us reach our $50,000 goal. Your gift supports people navigating all kinds of paths back to stable work: 💙 A mom returning to the workforce after years spent raising her kids. 💙 An uncle rebuilding after incarceration. 💙 A dad recovering from a workplace injury. 💙 A sister ready for a career change. 💙 A son transitioning from military service to civilian work. 💙 A parent seeking safety after domestic violence and working toward financial independence. 💙 A neighbor rebuilding confidence after a period of mental health challenges. Each person brings determination. StepUp brings job training, coaching, resources, and ongoing support to help them take the next step. Your support today helps someone move forward tomorrow. Can we count on you? Link in bio to donate or sponsor our fall campaign. Or visit www.stepupdurham.org/campaign-26.

This is what opportunity looks like in action. 💙 At Jobs Week, Durham job seekers build résumés, practice interviews, and strengthen the skills needed to succeed at work. For participants returning after an employment gap or navigating barriers related to justice involvement, our success coaches offer guidance, resources, and support that extends beyond the job search to life skills and lasting stability. This is the work your support makes possible. Ready, Set, RISE with us! Link in bio to donate or become a sponsor of our 2026 Fall Campaign!

Calling all sponsors! 📣 Help Durham RISE. StepUp Durham’s Ready. Set. RISE! Fall Campaign is about what happens when opportunity meets determination. We’re raising $50,000 to provide job training, coaching, and ongoing support that help Durham job seekers build lasting stability and brighter futures. 💙 Gold: $5,000 💙 Silver: $3,000 💙 Bronze: $1,000 Showcase your commitment to our community through website and newsletter recognition, social media spotlights, and additional benefits based on your sponsorship level. Ready to RISE with us? Contact Meg Olhasque at meg@stepupdurham.org to become a sponsor.

Still reflecting on the incredible energy from @walltownchildrenstheatre at our IMPACT26 event last month. Grateful for the way our Durham community continues to show up — celebrating young talent, uplifting local organizations, and creating spaces where connection and community truly shine. Proud to see so many impactful partners visible, engaged, and building together for Durham. 🩷🧡💜💙💛

Of course, all of our Success Coaches and Program Leaders bring great communication, organization, and amazing vibes to the team. But give it up for Nakeeta and Bill for playing along for this fun trend! 👏✨ #friyay #feelgoodfriday #stepupdurham

We’re excited to welcome Walltown Children’s Theatre (@walltownchildrenstheatre) as the entertainment for IMPACT26! 🎭✨ Since 2000, WCT has empowered young people from diverse backgrounds through performing arts and youth development—helping them build confidence, express creativity, and strengthen our community. Rooted in Walltown and serving Durham and the Triangle, their performances celebrate connection, opportunity, and the power of youth voices. We can’t wait for them to bring that energy to the IMPACT26 stage! 🎟️ Secure your tickets or support the mission today. Visit the link in bio or go to www.stepupdurham.org/impact26 to purchase tickets or make a donation. 💙

Congratulations to our newest Jobs Week graduates! 🎉 📩 Learn more: info@stepupdurham.org Completing Step1 is more than building job readiness—it’s taking the first step toward new opportunities and joining a community that’s here to support you along the way. Ready to take your first step? We offer FREE employment readiness training, personalized job coaching, employer referrals, and support for job seekers, including those with barriers to employment. 📩 Learn more: info@stepupdurham.org

Step up. Turn up. Show up. 😎🎶 Confidence starts with the first step. What’s a tune that makes you feel unstoppable? 👇

Our Back-to-School Block Party was a wonderful reminder of the power of community! Families came together to connect, have fun, access resources, and celebrate our children as they head into a new school year. We were also excited to help students start the year prepared with backpacks and school supplies. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, donated, and helped make the day possible. We’re especially grateful to our community partners @ibm, @legalaidnc @bikedurham, and @bridgespointenc and to Keith Bullard with USSW @raiseupthesouth for donating 150 backpacks filled with school supplies for our community. A special shoutout also goes to StepUp Durham participant Jamie Leacock of True Colors by JBird for bringing even more joy to the day with face painting! It truly takes a village, and we’re grateful for ours. Thank you for making this year’s Back-to-School Block Party one to remember! 💙

🎉 Congratulations to our September Jobs Week graduates! Step1 is officially in the books! Each participant has now been matched with a Success Coach who will walk alongside them as an accountability partner throughout their journey. We can’t wait to continue working with you all through Step2 as you work toward landing a job, finding greater stability, and building a stronger foundation for your future. From mock interviews and resume strengthening to navigating work gaps, professionalism, and so much more, our team goes beyond the modules. We build confidence, provide encouragement, and create the supportive community so many people are looking for as they take their next steps. Here’s to the journey ahead! 👏

A heartfelt thank you to @lakewood_social for choosing StepUp Durham as your July Nonprofit Partner of the Month, and to every guest who dined with purpose on Tuesdays throughout July. Together, you helped raise $1,779.69 to support Durham job seekers as they build sustainable careers and brighter futures. We’re so grateful for this incredible partnership and for a community that shows up to make a difference. 💙

We have complete confidence in our ENERG Coordinator/Success Coach Kevin… …and that’s exactly why we let him star in this trend. 😂 Disclaimer: Everyone in this reel is genuinely tech-savvy. Any social media mishaps depicted are purely fictional and for entertainment purposes only.

🎉 Congratulations to StepUp Durham’s October Step 1 Jobs Week grads! 👏 Scroll through to meet the faces of those who showed up ready to take on the challenge of employment, connect with resources, and build a community in their corner. Taking that first step takes courage, and these grads did it! Now, they’re ready to move forward and take on the job search. We’re cheering you on. Now, let’s get you back to work! 💼🙌 #StepUpDurham #JobsWeek #CareerReadiness #DurhamNC

A big shoutout to our August Jobs Week participants on completing Step1! 🎉👏 You showed up, put in the work, and took an important step toward job readiness, greater stability, and new opportunities. And you’re not doing it alone. At StepUp Durham, you have a community that cares, believes in you, and is here to support you along the way. We can’t wait to keep the momentum going. Step2 awaits! 💙

Warming up for the week ahead… 💪 Stretching into Monday and getting ready for another week of showing up, creating opportunities, building connections, and taking steps forward. Because at StepUp Durham, we know a little preparation goes a long way. 😉 Let’s get to work! 👏 #StepUpDurham #MondayMotivation #DurhamNC

🌟A GOLDEN boost for Ready. Set. RISE! Thank you to the Advance Auto Parts Foundation, our newest Gold sponsor, for their generous support of our Fall Campaign! Through their Advancing Our Communities program, the Foundation invests in workforce development to help people gain the skills and support they need to join our community’s workforce. Their gift helps StepUp Durham participants build pathways to sustainable employment. Thank you for helping our mission RISE! 👏

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🌟A GOLDEN boost for Ready.