May 3, 2006

Published in Wake Forest, NC

            The town has an interest in the center because it has contributed money toward the renovation of the gym and the former ag/shop building and because it pays the water, sewer and electric bills.

            Local people have had a number of questions about the center on North Franklin Street and its future since Bettie Murchison and her entire staff left the center at the end of February to work for a new organization, the W.E.B. DuBois Community Development Corporation with an office on South White Street.

            “There has not been any deterioration at all” in the relationship between the center and town residents, Perry said, noting the ongoing after-school tutoring program run by the Banks Kerry Family YMCA in Wakefield, the YMCA summer camp High Hopes,  and the AAU program, nine sports teams that practice in the gym. “We expect to continue to do well.”

            Jones thanked the board for $70,000 he said it had given for the McElrath Building. The $70,000 was an emergency grant Wake County gave to the center to remove the roof that had fallen in and shore up the walls. Murchison had plans to make the building into the National Rosenwald Museum, and Jones said it will continue. “We will have additional funds to come in to work on that project.”

            Late last year Perry fired the consulting firm that had been hired by Murchison to work on the fund-raising campaign for the museum. He said the firm had never been hired.

            Both Jones and Perry said the food bank program would resume next Thursday.

            Responding to questions from the commissioners, Jones said there had been “a few rough spots” involved in the HopeBuilders program for out-of-school and out-of-work young people 17 to 21. “There’s a new grant cycle, and we are putting in a separate system from what I understand the CDC is also attempting to do.”

            There has not yet been official confirmation from the Wake County Workforce Development Board which funds HopeBuilders, but there is reliable information that the board cancelled the contract with the DuBois Center early this week. The center owes the 38 students enrolled in HopeBuilders for four paychecks. Murchison’s CDC has managed to find funds to pay the young people twice recently, and the CDC is continuing and plans to expand HopeBuilders.

            Jones did not respond to a telephone request for comment about the contract.

            Jones said he has a paid staff of five people including himself.

            Another program Jones indicated would be resumed at the center is mental health counseling. “We’re attempting to run our own program, and we expect it to be funded.”

            The CDC has the contract with Wake County Human Services for a mental health counseling program working with more than 200 clients in their homes. Murchison hopes to expand it to include more of eastern Wake County.

            Jones said the center is planning tennis courts on the 17.5-acre campus. “That’s one sport we do not have there.” He spoke at length about the carnival that involved the after-school tutoring children and the children attending Forest Pines Elementary School which is housed in modular units on six acres of the campus.

            Jones, who said he would do the grant-writing himself, said they plan to apply for and receive a social service grant and a parental information resource center grant from the federal government. “I anticipate we will be successful.” The last grant would allow the center to work with unemployed, idle young people and their parents to “turn them from street walkers to something meaningful in life.”

            Theresa Watkins, who was at the meeting to apply for a seat on the cemetery board, encouraged the commissioners to support the DuBois Center. “You have to live in the neighborhood to see what the needs are of our young people.” She spoke of her 87-year-old mother and the support she has from her family. But, “There are a lot of seniors who really depended on that food bank. It is very much needed.”

            Perry broke up the last food bank distribution in February, shooing people out of the gym before they received all their food.

            Perry closed by inviting everyone to come to the center. “Our doors are open; come see us.”