July 30, 2026 | Faith, Community and Non-Profit Leader Check-In Meeting
- meckmin
- Jul 31
- 20 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Welcome to MeckMIN's Thursday Zoom Check-In Meetings
These meetings are open to anyone interested in supporting compassionate community response, especially in partnership with the most vulnerable among us.
Meetings are held online every other Thursday from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Email LeDayne Polaski for Zoom access code. In addition, if you would like to receive notification when these minutes are posted, please email LeDayne and ask to be added to the Thursday meetings email list.
You can find the recording HERE
67 participants
OPENING REFLECTION
When you take a long, loving look anywhere, you feel more bonded with whatever you’ve looked at.
Naomi Shihab Nye
MECKMIN UPDATES
PLEASE SHARE THESE EVENTS WITH YOUR NETWORK AND WITH ANYONE YOU THINK MIGHT BE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED – AND PLEASE CONSIDER COMING YOURSELF
THURSDAY MEETINGS
We are meeting in 2026:
August 13
August 27
Sept 10
Sept 24
October 8
October 22
November 5
November 19
December 3
December 17
No meeting December 31
Women’s Interfaith Book Club (aka Faith Club) Wednesday, August 26th 7 PM
We’ll be discussing A. Helwa’s book, Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey Into the Heart of Islam.
Open Tables Monday September 28 – 6 to 8 p.m.
"Holding Our Humanity Across Difference"
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church | 3400 Beatties Ford Road Vegetarian Potluck Dinner
Cultural Displays at Friendsgiving!
MeckMIN Interfaith Friendsgiving 2026 Call for Cultural Display Tables
MECKMIN TALKS AND TRAININGS
LOOKING TO CREATE GREATER BELONGING AT YOUR SCHOOL?
Consider how MeckMIN can ease the way. We are excited to offer schools a dynamic way to expand understanding of different faith traditions. Through two interactive interfaith panels—one designed for students in grades 6–12 and another for teachers and administrators at all levels—we provide opportunities to learn directly from people who practice these traditions to build greater understanding across communities.
Help us expand religious literacy in our schools by sharing these flyers with educators and administrators in your network. If you would like to host an interfaith panel, please contact LeDayne at ledayne@meckmin.org
NONPROFITS & ORGANIZATIONS PROGRAMMING PLANS FOR FALL 2026 Consider MeckMIN’s wealth of training offerings
The views and opinions expressed below are those of the speakers/presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the MeckMIN board or our member organizations.
CMPD Chief Patterson
Chief Patterson shared her vision of making Charlotte the safest big city in the US. If you'd like to hear details, her talk begins 7 minutes into the recording and lasts about 9 minutes. Chief Patterson invited those with follow-up questions to direct them to her of contact: Dozier, Martha <Martha.Dozier@cmpd.org>
Responses to Questions Submitted After the July 30 Call
Q: Are crime frequency maps available online?
A: Yes. Crime mapping is available on the CMPD website.
To access the interactive crime map:
Visit cmpd.org.
Select the News & Information tab at the top of the page.
Choose Crime Mapping from the available options.
The Crime Mapping application allows community members to view reported crime activity, identify trends, and explore crime patterns throughout the city.
Q: What does the curfew mean for teen homelessness?
A: The primary purpose of the proposed ordinance is to protect young people and connect them with appropriate resources, not to criminalize vulnerable youth.
While a youth experiencing homelessness could technically be in violation of the ordinance if no exception applied, an officer's first priority would be assessing the juvenile's safety and identifying available resources and services.
Officers would work to connect the youth with appropriate assistance whenever possible, with the overall goal of protecting their well-being.
Q: Does the curfew apply to college students who are 17 or under?
A: Yes, however, the ordinance contains several exceptions that would continue to apply.
For example, a juvenile would not be in violation if they are:
Attending or traveling directly to or from an official function sponsored by a school, government agency, religious organization, civic organization, or another entity that accepts responsibility for the juvenile.
Engaged in lawful employment or traveling directly to or from their place of employment.
Each situation would be evaluated based on the specific facts and circumstances.
A juvenile who is in a public place or business during restricted hours is not in violation of the ordinance if they are:
Accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Accompanied by an adult 21 years or older who is authorized to be accompanying the juvenile for the designated period of time and purpose.
On an errand, using a direct route, until 10:30 p.m. for juveniles under the age of 13 and 11:30 p.m. for juveniles ages 13-15.
In a motor vehicle, with parental consent, engaged in interstate travel through the city originating or terminating the city.
Traveling in a motor vehicle with a parent or guardian or other authorized person adult age 21 or older.
Engaged in lawful employment or using a direct route to or from a place of employment.
Reacting or responding to an emergency.
Attending or traveling to or from an official function sponsored by the schools, a government or religious entity, a civic organization, or other entity that accepts responsibility for the juveniles.
Exercising first amendment rights such as a free exercise of religion, freedom of speech and the right to assembly.
Married or emancipated.
When authorized by special permit from the Chief of Police when the necessary nighttime activities of the juveniles are not adequately addressed by other provisions of this ordinance.
OTHER FAITH/INTERFAITH OPPORTUNITIES
Safety Net Training - August 19th
We hope you will join us on Wednesday, August 19, for Safety Net Training, a timely and practical opportunity for faith and community leaders across the Charlotte region.
As leaders from different faith traditions, we have both seen how easily polarization, distrust, and extreme rhetoric can take root in our communities. We also share a deep conviction that congregations, civic organizations, and other local groups can be among the most effective places to strengthen relationships, recognize warning signs, and help people find healthier ways to engage across profound disagreement.
That shared commitment is what brings us together in inviting you to this training.
Safety Net was developed by the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network (MFNN) in partnership with Search for Common Ground and the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University.
The curriculum is designed to equip congregational, civic, and organizational leaders with practical tools to recognize growing polarization, respond to extreme rhetoric, strengthen community resilience, and help prevent individuals and communities from moving toward extremism or violence.
During the training, you will learn how to use the curriculum in your own local setting and will receive both printed and digital copies of the materials. Our goal is for participants to leave not only with a deeper understanding of these challenges, but also with tangible resources they can put into practice.
The training is free of charge, and breakfast and lunch will be provided. Please register each person who plans to attend so that we can prepare appropriately. Food will be available to accommodate a variety of dietary needs.
We have also attached a flyer that you may use to invite others. Please feel free to share this opportunity with clergy, nonprofit leaders, educators, civic leaders, and others throughout the greater Charlotte community who may benefit from it.
Who should attend? Safety Net is intended for congregational, organizational, and civic community leaders who want to bring these conversations and resources into their local settings. The training will introduce the curriculum and prepare participants to facilitate it within their own communities.
Location: 10624 Metromont Parkway, Unit 302 Charlotte, NC 28269
Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
We hope you will join us as we work to build a Charlotte in which people can disagree without dehumanizing one another, resist the forces of polarization and extremism, and strengthen the relationships that hold our communities together.
Blessings,
Naeem Fazal | Mosaic Church
Rabbi Asher Knight | Temple Beth El
MECK COUNTY UPDATES
MECK COUNTY FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMS
Bell, Myles <Myles.Bell@mecklenburgcountync.gov>Raza, Ali <Ali.Raza@mecklenburgcountync.gov>Harris, Mamie-Eleanor S. Mamie-Eleanor.Harris@mecklenburgcountync.gov
RESOURCES:
A quick and easy way to access our website is:
Helping Out Mecklenburg’s homeowners with Economic Support (HOMES)
Liz Graham Mecklenburg County Marketing Manager 704-245-5715
The Helping Out Mecklenburg’s homeowners with Economic Support (HOMES) program is back for another season to provide economic relief for homeowners.
This Mecklenburg County program provides economic assistance grants of up to $650 to qualifying homeowners. Qualifying residents in the Town of Davidson could receive an additional grant of up to $554, bringing the total to $1,204. Mecklenburg County homeowners who may qualify for a HOMES grant are those who have lived in their home for at least the last three years, meet a qualifying total household income level and have no more than one delinquent tax bill in the last three years.
The program begins on Wednesday, July 1, and runs through November 20. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. New applicants and previous grant recipients are encouraged to complete and submit the easy, one-page application online, by email, or by mail.
Visit MeckNC.gov/4Homes for more details.
Veteran Resource Event
Shannon Boatwright
Case Coordinator
Community Support Services | Veteran Services
Mecklenburg County Government
980-314-8908 | MeckNC.Gov
This event will provide veterans and their families the opportunity to speak directly with local Veterans Service Officers, VA representatives, and community partners offering programs and services. Pre-registration is encouraged.
Event Dates and Location: • August 20 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM • August 21 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM • Friendship Missionary Baptist Church (Please see flyer for address and additional details.)
Services Available: • Veterans Benefits – on-site claims assistance • VA Healthcare eligibility and enrollment • Counseling Services • Employment Resources • Community Services: housing, legal, education, insurance, etc. • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Screenings • Peer-to-Peer Connection
Documents to Bring: • DD-214 • Medical and service records related to disability claims • Dependency documents
Please feel free to share this information with your team and any veterans or family members who may benefit. Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our veteran community.
CITY OF CHARLOTTE UPDATES
Jamila Freelain-Holly, MPA
Community Engagement Liaison
Housing & Neighborhood Services
Neighborhood Engagement Services Team Office (704) 336-5004, Cell (704) 591-9014 Jamila.Freelain@charlottenc.gov | charlottenc.gov
New City of Charlotte Community Calendar
Promote your community events in the new calendar!!!!!!! Create your account today.
City of Charlotte – Neighborhood Organization Directory
The City of Charlotte Housing and Neighborhood Services division has launched the brand new Neighborhood Organization Directory!
Neighborhood Associations
Neighborhood & Business Associations
Neighborhood Coalitions
Resident Organizations in Rental Communities
Homeowners Associations (HOAs)
Community Development Corporations
Benefits of being listed on the directory include:
Increased visibility for your organization
Helps residents quickly find and connect with your neighborhood organization
Helps City staff and officials easily identify neighborhood leadership for community engagement
Creates networking opportunities with other neighborhood groups
Supports eligibility for the City's Community Impact Grants program
Want to be one of the first to add your neighborhood organization to the directory? Visit the website here or scan the QR code below.
ADU Exploration
Check if your lot qualifies for an accessory dwelling unit with the MyADU tool, then request a plan set to bring to a contractor or architect. These are pre-approved plans, but site review, permitting, and engineering still apply. Check ADU eligibility for your property · Email the Queen City ADU Program
NONPROFIT UPDATES
Matthews Help Center
Aurora Palmer, Director of Programs & Service
704-847-8383
Matthews Help Center's mission is to provide short-term crisis financial assistance (rent, utilities and daycare) to our neighbors in the Greater Matthews community. We serve people living in six zip codes in and around Matthews; 28104, 28105, 28211, 28226, 28270, and 28079.
We also offer non-financial assistance. Anyone needing food or clothing assistance should visit our site at Client Inquiry Form - Matthews Help Center It’s a very simple process to apply for food and clothing assistance.
PurposeTask
Garrett Astler
PurposeTask (purposetask.org) is a tech-based nonprofit startup. It connects congregations and community-based organizations with displaced and transitioning workers here in Charlotte, people locked out of a shrinking entry-level job market. They earn income completing the kinds of tasks normally staffed by volunteers, except we pay them. A worker claims a task, completes it, and submits evidence. The task gets verified and paid out the same day.
The organization gets a timestamped record of what happened. It gets its staff time back from coordinating volunteers. And it gets reliable access to labor it doesn't have to fundraise for. Current programming gets easier to run, and new programming becomes possible. No cost to participate, privately funded.
We're recruiting 10 to 12 congregations and community-based organizations as founding partners for a 60-day pilot here in Charlotte. This is a design partnership as much as a pilot: name one staff point-of-contact, post 20 to 30 tasks, and help shape the product as we learn what works. I have specific questions I'm testing for, and I expect the scope to grow once organizations are signed on.
Amity Medical Health Fair
Michelle Clark
Amity Medical Group X Avant Pharmacy and Wellness back to school event, August 22nd, from 10AM-2PM, at 9835 Monroe Road. There will be free sports physicals, vaccines, health screenings, food, arts and crafts, school supplies, a bouncy house, and over 20 community vendors providing resources.
Youth Meditation
Angela Gala
Youth Meditation (YM) is a 501(c)3 that partners with schools and youth-serving non-profits to deliver a system-wide, trauma-informed model that equips both children and adults with practical, evidence-based tools for emotional regulation.
While this is a faith-based organization, there are obvious question regarding meditation and its affiliation with religions. Some form of meditation is used in almost all religions, prayer is a form of meditation with the mind focused on one thing, saying the rosary is also a form of meditation. Our program differs in that it is secular.
In our teaching, meditation is relaxation of the mind, body and spirit, it is a connection to yourself. When you are connected to yourself, you are peaceful, when you are peaceful, the whole world is peaceful. When you have conflict inside nothing is right outside.
We teach meditation and breath work as the practice of relaxation. Relaxing your mind is something you must allow, not something you can do. It isn’t about stopping your thoughts, you cannot. It is about relaxing your nervous system. When your nervous system begins find a calm state (immediately and over time) your mind calms down. Sleep is when your body heals, meditation is when your mind heals. And one impacts the other.
Mindfulness is a set of intellectual practices that shift your perspective. As your perspective shifts, the energy you bring to any situation, changes that situation. The skills we teach are skills that stay with the person for a lifetime.
Research on our program in the 2024-2025 school year partnering with UNCC’s Lab School saw
• 16 - 22% academic academic
• 77% decrease in high level crises
• 69% decrease in runner incidents
• 95% decrease in aggression towards teachers
• 456% increase of de-escalation strategies used
• As a school the improved one grade letter in one year
Because now the teachers had the skills to manage their own stress and they were the same skills that we taught to the children in the classroom. Teachers were more confident in using these skills so they were more inclined to use the emotionally supportive skills rather than the traditional punishment model.
“The academic data from 2024-25 serves as a powerful validation of the Youth Meditation partnership. While Niner University Elementary had always been "trauma-invested," the implementation of a unified meditation practice provided the regulatory floor necessary for students to reach their academic ceiling.” - Principal Dr. Pamela Broome
● Key Takeaways:
● In 2025, 4th and 5th graders didn't just stay the course—they broke through previous proficiency plateaus, coinciding directly with the implementation of school-wide meditation and breath-work.
● Regulated Teachers Regulate Students: A teacher who uses their breath to manage their own stress creates a "calm nervous system" for the entire classroom to co-regulate with.
● Sustainability: The monthly coaching and ongoing support ensured that meditation didn't "fizzle out" after the 8-week training, but became a permanent cultural staple.
We have been teaching in Charlotte and surrounding counties since 2014. We have taught in CMS Schools such as Olympic High School, Ashley Park K-8, Allenbrook Elementary, Charlotte Country Day, Rock Hill’s Alternative High School Renaissance Academy, Charlotte Jewish Day School and non-profits such as The Relatives, Alexander Youth Network, Black Child Development Institute and many more.
Galilee Ministries
Emily Parker edgalileeeast@gmail.com
Update on 4 Programs
Our Annual school supplies and backpack drive ends August 18. To benefit students in the Greater Enrichment Program at Merry Oaks International Academy. Flyer includes a list and QR code of requested items.
Our next monthly Food is Love Community Lunch will be on August 18, 11:30 am - 1 pm. It's free and everyone is invited. Come and bring a friend!
On Monday, August 24 Galilee will partner with the The Center for Wellbeing and Care at Christ Church to host a workshop, Caring for Self as You Care for the World. Purpose: to explore practical tools for building resilience, identifying and preventing burnout, and maintaining wellbeing while serving vulnerable populations during trying times. Free and registration is required. Coffee, pastries, and lunch will be provided from the Sen Mee Noodle House.
Galilee will partner with International House to host beginner ESL class starting September 14! Mondays & Wednesdays from 9:30 am - 11:30 am. We're also looking for volunteers who can teach or co-teach (with plenty of training before class starts!), sit in, support, and help with any conversation practice, or bring snacks.
Three Bone Theater
Robin Tynes-Miller robin@threebonetheatre.com
1. The final weekend of Carolina New Works Play Festival this Friday - Sunday. Come hear completely new plays and give your feedback in a post show discussion with the playwright. This is a new initiative between UNCC and Three Bone Theatre. These plays are beautiful and center LGBTQIA+ stories and stories of faith, Black boy joy!, and questions about AI. It's a wonderful showcase of NC and SC playwrights. All at Arts Factory 1545 W Trade Street, Free parking on site. Event is free with a suggested $10 donation. LINK: https://www.threebonetheatre.com/carolina-new-works
2. Sovereignty by Mary Kathryn Nagle opens August 21. First indigenous focused show, this is the NC premiere. Mary Kathryn Nagle is a Cherokee Nation playwright and a practicing lawyer, specifically focused on violence against native women cases and missing native women cases. Indigenous stories make up 0.16 percent of the stories told on American Stages. A time-jumping, legal drama about tribal sovereignty and bodily sovereignty. Wonderful cast from all across the country representing over 8 different tribal affiliations. Will also be traveling the show up to Cherokee, NC for the first time in September. Our community partners for this show are the Museum of the Cherokee People and Safe Alliance. Tickets are going fast. We always have a $20 student/teacher rate. All performances in Charlotte will be at Arts Factory. LINK: https://www.threebonetheatre.com/events/2526/sovereignty
3. Three Bone Theatre will launch our celebratory 15th Anniversary season in November. Season will be announced on 8/21/26.
NEW BEGINNINGS COMMUNITY LIFE CENTER
Aniyah B. Taylor
Office Manager/ Hope Home Coordinator
Office: 980-225-9915 Ext. 408
Fax: 704-500-0940
New Beginnings Community Life Center Financial Literacy Series
Take the next step toward financial freedom!
Join us for our Financial Literacy Series, where you'll gain practical tools and strategies to help you:
Create and manage a budget
Improve your credit
Eliminate debt
Build savings
Prepare for homeownership
Develop long-term financial wellness
Classes Begin Soon! Registration Fee: $15
Whether you're just starting your financial journey or looking to strengthen your financial future, this series is designed to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to succeed.
To register and submit your payment, please use the link below:
Payment Link:
If you have any questions, please contact the New Beginnings Community Life Center. We look forward to helping you build a strong financial foundation!
Together, let's build a pathway to financial freedom!
To find out more about classes, workshops, and support groups; or to sign up for counseling services visit our website at nbclifecenter.org
Building Hope Building Commitment Inc
Vickie Craighead-Davis vickie@buildinghopebuildingcommitment.org
Carolina Caring Clergy Event
For 47 years, Carolina Caring has been a nonprofit healthcare organization specializing in serious illness care. We serve individuals and families through home-based primary care, palliative medicine, hospice care, bereavement services, and other supportive programs. Our mission is to focus not only on what is the matter with the body, but also on what matters most in body, mind, and spirit. These flyers show our continuum of care, and a description of those programs. I am happy to share more in depth about those if you ever need this information.
Today, I'd like to highlight a few opportunities available to our community:
Caring for the Congregation: Faith Leaders Retreat
We recognize the important role faith leaders play in supporting their congregations. This retreat offers a time of encouragement, fellowship, resources, and a light breakfast. RSVP is requested.
Support for Caregivers
We have two programs designed to help caregivers prioritize their own well-being:
Building Better Caregivers is a six-week class that provides practical tools and strategies for self-care while caring for a loved one.
Sacred Pause for the Caregiving Heart is a retreat focused on rest, reflection, and renewal for those on the caregiving journey.
Veterans Coffee
Held on the second Friday of each month in Huntersville, Veterans Coffee provides a welcoming space for veterans to connect and build community.
Community Counseling
We are excited to offer counseling services for individuals experiencing grief and loss. Services are available on a sliding fee scale to improve accessibility.
Educational Programs
If your congregation or organization would benefit from educational programs related to serious illness, caregiving, advance care planning, grief support, or ways to be volunteer for our organization, I would be happy to connect with you.
Thank you for the opportunity to share today. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or to learn more about any of these programs.
Prayer Vigil & Welcome Caravan in Response to ICE Raid in Wilson's Creek
Saturday, August 1, 11am
This past Sunday thirteen people, who had been swimming with their families and enjoying a perfect summer afternoon, were detained by ICE at Wilson's Creek near Morganton, Lenoir and Hickory in Caldwell County, in the Pisgah National Forest. This was the largest ICE raid in our state in 2026, an operation to keep North Carolinians safe from... sunbathers.
This Saturday, we'll show that we love our neighbors in the Foothills, and we'll make sure more people understand how to defend their rights, and aren't surprised by an ICE checkpoint a national forest.
We need to fill a few more volunteer roles. Please have your contacts email Theo (theoluebke@gmail.com) if they can help.
Volunteers Needed:
Additional clergy for 11am
Parking and directions
People who can help with security & marshaling
Managing caravan art supplies
Lunch helpers
Photographer/videographer
Recruitment - EVERYONE!
Here's the link to RSVP for the event bit.ly/wilsoncreekprayers please do if you're planning to be there.
Building Hope Building Commitment Inc
Vickie Craighead-Davis vickie@buildinghopebuildingcommitment.org
The Housing Crisis Is Not Just About Access. It’s About Stability.
Every year, households secure housing only to face the same barriers that put them at risk in the first place—late rent, utility burdens, income disruption, lease violations, and disconnected support.
Housing loss rarely happens overnight.
It happens when no one is actively protecting the tenancy.
BHBC was built to close that gap through retention-focused housing solutions, landlord collaboration, resident services, and the Retention-Centered Stabilization Model™.
If your faith community would like to join BHBC's efforts to not just house families but keep them housed, reach out to Vickie and/or visit the website. https://bhbccarolinas.org
Healthy Meck Online Community
You don't have to join to be able to view the resources there, but others are most welcome to sign up and add to the conversation. There are no ads or algorithms on this platform. Folks are also welcome to reach out to me if they have any questions. We are testing this out to see whether people like this, and if this tool can be a way for community members to stay in touch when they can't attend meetings.
Reflections on Hues of You Summer Camp
Lucretia Carter Berry, Ph.D
Educator | Author | TED Speaker
Founder, Brownicity: Many Hues. ONE Humanity
Course: What LIES Between Us - Fostering First Steps Toward Racial Healing
Hues of You - An Activity Book for Learning About the Skin You Are In
Teaching for Justice & Belonging - A Journey for Educators & Parents
This year's Hues of You Summer Camp campers spent the week discovering the science of melanin, painting self-portraits, sharing pieces of their own cultures, and imagining the kind of world they want to help build. I wrote about the whole week, and about what it means when a community chooses to invest in children this way.
Helpful Immigration Information
Opportunity: Get Help Studying for the U.S. Citizenship Exam
Are you pursuing U.S. citizenship? Welcome.US can match you with a screened, trained volunteer who can help you study for the citizenship exam, practice English, or walk through a practice citizenship interview. It’s all online and on your schedule. Learn more.
ICE Traffic Stops and Preparation
ICE briefly paused vehicle stops after officers shot and killed two drivers in Texas and Maine. On July 15, President Trump reversed the pause and ordered ICE to resume traffic stops. Traffic stops will continue as part of immigration enforcement.
Immigration enforcement policies can change quickly. Make a plan before an emergency.
What you can do:
Make a family preparedness plan. Decide who can pick up and care for your children and who to contact in an emergency.
Organize copies of immigration, identity, medical, and other important documents. Keep them where a trusted person can access them.
Write down medications, health conditions, doctors, and insurance information. Talk with your loved ones about your medical needs and what you want them to do if you are detained.
Get a legal consultation before an emergency if you can. Ask whether you may qualify for a bond or another form of release if detained.
Consider choosing public transportation or riding with a trusted person who has lawful status when possible. These choices may reduce some risks, but they cannot prevent an ICE encounter.
Build relationships in your community. Speak with your neighbors about where and when arrests are happening. Do not share rumors or personal information that could put someone at risk.
RESOURCES FOR NONPROFITS NONPROFITS
Applications are now open for Make for Good, formerly Make a Mark!
This annual 12-hour make-a-thon brings teams of volunteer creative professionals together to create meaningful branding and marketing materials for local nonprofits. Apply with a specific project you'd love creative support on. Drop-in info session: August 5 from 5:30-7pm at Sparkhouse Uptown.
GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Local
Charlotte Urban Design Center Announces 2026 Placemaking Grants
The City of Charlotte has chosen the recipients for this year’s Placemaking Grant program. In partnership with the Corridors of Opportunity program, the Office of Sustainability and Resilience, and the Vision Zero program, the city awarded a total of $175,000 to support community-led projects. The city remains dedicated to placemaking and collaborating with residents and local artists to cultivate a livelier Queen City.
The Placemaking Grant program started in 2018 and is managed by the City of Charlotte’s Urban Design Center (UDC). The grant program offers financial aid and practical guidance for initiatives that foster community gathering, safety and character.
Ten projects, three programming schedules and two Technical Assistance Grants will receive funding this year. These projects focus on:
Activating vacant or underused areas
Improving streetscapes
Enhancing public spaces through art and beautification
Developing community gathering and sharing spots
Regional
Truist Foundation annual Inspire Awards
Truist Foundation has opened applications for its fourth annual Inspire Awards, a grant program designed to help nonprofits build their capacity and expand their impact. This year's opportunity focuses on creating career pathways to economic mobility by supporting programs that help adult learners build the skills they need to navigate today's rapidly changing workforce, including the growing influence of artificial intelligence. Learn more.
Youth Mental Health, Connectedness, and Resilience initiative
Through its Youth Mental Health, Connectedness, and Resilience initiative, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation is investing in upstream, community-based approaches that strengthen the environments where young children and their families live, grow, and connect as a foundation for lifelong mental health and well-being.
Across North Carolina, parents and caregivers of young children experience high levels of stress, isolation, and difficulty accessing support. One in three parents report feeling lonely, and more than a quarter report having no one to turn to for support. While services exist, these supports are often fragmented and difficult to navigate, highlighting the need for more connected, community-rooted approaches.
The Foundation is issuing a funding opportunity to support local partnerships led by trusted community-based organizations that better connect, strengthen, and enhance existing mental health and well-being services for caregivers. This effort focuses on integrating and aligning existing resources to improve caregiver well-being, increase social connection, and strengthen pathways to clinical mental health care when needed.
Up to five grants of $450,000 will be awarded and paid over three years to partnerships that demonstrate strong community trust, meaningful collaboration, and the ability to strengthen coordination across systems of support for caregivers of young children (prenatal to age five).
Timeline
July 13, 2026
Funding opportunity opens.
August 24, 2026
Applications due by 5:00 p.m. E.T.
October 5, 2026
Grantees selected and notified
Learn More
To download the full funding opportunity, please visit our website
National
Broad Funding for Preservation, Education, and Wellness
Application deadline: September 25, 2026 Grant amount: Over $50,000 Target population: Community members Description: The J.W. Couch Foundation supports nonprofit organizations with charitable programs throughout the U.S. across three areas: preservation, including wildlife conservation and historical preservation; education, including early childhood development and teacher support; and wellness, including mental health and mentorship. General operating support and program-specific funding are available.
Application deadline: September 3, 2026 Grant amount: $1,000–$15,000 Geographic scope: Communities with a Target store or distribution center Target population: Community members Description: The Target Community Engagement Fund provides localized grants to nonprofits in communities where Target stores and distribution centers are located. Funding supports nonprofit programs in four areas: thriving families, including basic needs and youth development, vibrant neighborhoods, emerging creative and cultural programming, and economic opportunity through workforce development.
PRAYER FOR LEADERS
Love is an action, a participatory emotion. Whether we are engaged in a process of self-love or of loving others, we must move beyond the realm of feeling to actualize love."- bell hooks
Thanks to the Community Building Initiative for drawing our attention to this great quote
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