from the AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, 800-227-2345 x1, website:
The Road to Recovery program provides free rides to and from cancer-related treatments for Durham County residents. You need to give at least four business days’ notice, with the date, time, and location of your appointment. This service operates on weekdays, 8am to 5pm, and it relies on volunteer drivers—so if you have the time and ability to offer assistance as a driver, please click here for more information. Drivers might not be able to accommodate physically disabled patients, but it’s usually okay to take a friend/family member who can help you in and out the vehicle. 
from the AMERICAN RED CROSS — CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA CHAPTER, 4737 University Dr, Durham, 919-489-6541,
redcross.org/nc/durham: Have you ever said, “One of these days I’m gonna learn first aid”? The American Red Cross holds classes at their facility on University Dr and online classes with one-day classroom components. Those classes are listed below. Check the website for the online-only classes, which you can take at your convenience. Pay for the classes at the office or online:
Visit redcross.org/nc/raleigh for the Triangle Area Chapter’s classes, which are held in Raleigh. 
from the CITY OF DURHAM — NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT SERVICES:
Do you have a good idea for improving your neighborhood, but need some support in making it happen? Apply for a Neighborhood Matching Grant (NMG)! The NMG program provides matching funds for projects put together by community-based organizations, such as neighborhood associations, homeowners associations (HOAs), community watch groups, and resident groups. Groups associated with houses of worship where a large part of the congregation doesn’t live in the community won’t be eligible. The idea behind this program is to help leverage/encourage resident involvement in solving local problems, while also forming and enhancing partnerships between the community and the City. Up to $2,500 in matching funds can be requested for improvement projects, such as installing bike racks, picnic areas, street furniture, and community gardens; one-time events, such as block parties, leadership trainings, and youth programs; or longterm projects, such as crime-prevention programs and energy/sustainability projects. The neighborhood group’s “matching” requirement can be fulfilled by volunteer labor (valued at $24.14/hour), professional services (valued at fair-market rates), material donations, and/or cash. Click here for more info, and be sure to contact Laura Biediger at 919-560-1647 x34259 or laura.biediger@durhamnc.gov. The application deadline is Tuesday, July 31. This is a great opportunity to help your community--Good luck! 
from the CITY OF DURHAM — SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT:
You can drop off Hazardous Household Waste on Tuesdays and Wednesdays noon to 6pm, Thursdays and Fridays 7:30am to 3pm, and Saturdays 7:30am to 3pm, at 1900 E Club Blvd. They'll take paint, used motor oil, pesticides, fertilizers, pool cleaner, strong cleansers, stains, varnishes, and fluorescent bulbs. If necessary, wrap the containers with newspapers to absorb spills and place them cardboard boxes for safe transport. For individuals only, not commercial users. Call the City of Durham—Environmental Resources Dept at 919-560-4381 or visit City of Durham—Hazardous Waste for more info. 
from the DURHAM CENTER FOR SENIOR LIFE, 406 Rigsbee Ave, 919-688-8247, website:
On Wednesdays,, seniors can start applying for the Fan/AC Relief Program. The Center has on hand box fans and small window air-conditioning units to those in need and who qualify. These giveaways are made possible through a partnership of the DCSL, Duke Energy, and Valassis. There’s a limited supply, so jump on this now! Here are the rules for getting a box fan:
Pickups will be on Wednesdays, 9–10:30am. Call and ask for Alicia Allen or Michael Patterson for more info. 
from DURHAM COUNTY FIRE & RESCUE:
Durham County Fire & Rescue offers a free service where you can have someone carefully check over the child seat that you use in your car or van. There's no industry standard when it comes to their operation and installation and parents are often surprised to find out that they haven’t installed their child seat correctly. The Durham Fire Department no longer offers this service but three of the County stations do:
Be sure to call to make an appointment. 
from DURHAM COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTEES, 1208 W Chapel Hill St, 919-490-0063, dclt.org:
DCLT is in need of general contractors and subcontractors (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, painters, concrete installers, drywall, masons, framers, roofers, etc) for housing renovation and repair projects. Call to make that connection. 
from the DURHAM COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, 414 E Main St, 919-560-8000, website:
DSS has a new mobile app, which you can use to complete and send applications for Food & Nutrition Services, Work First benefits, and Medicaid. You can also send documents for Crisis/Emergency Assistance applications. Grab your cell phone and go to dssmobile.dconc.gov. You’ll need to enter your date of birth and either your social security number or county case number. The DSS Mobile App is a secure website. By using the camera on your cell phone, you’ll be able to “Click It! Snap It! Send It” and save lots of time and effort. 
from the DURHAM SOLIDARITY CENTER, 1803 Chapel Hill Rd, Suite C, info@durhamsolidarity.org, website:
The Durham Solidarity Center recently held an open house at its new location in the Lakewood community. Totally run by volunteers, the center supports the efforts of social justice workers and organizations. Sound equipment—microphones (both wired and wireless), portable PAs, speakers with speaker stands, and large and small bullhorns—can be borrowed from the DSC office; they’ll also show you how to use the equipment. Supplies, including legal-observer hats, vests for marshals, first-aid supplies, candles and glowsticks for vigils, dropcloths for banner making, and pop-up tents, can also be provided for protests. The DSC’s conference and coworking space can be used for meetings, film screenings, and planning space; ask about details on coworking weekly rates and one-time rentals. The space comes with portable projectors, easels, a button maker, and a large library of subversive and otherwise helpful materials. Click here to reserve the conference room. 
from DURHAM TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE’s SMALL BUSINESS CENTER (SOUTHBank Building, 500 W Main St, 919-536-7241 x4505, website)
Durham Tech’s Small Business Center offers classes, seminars, and webinars for aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs who want to ensure their success in business. Here are a few of the free seminars. Click here to register. Additional free and paid classes and seminars are listed on the website:
from the FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY:
Former President Obama’s HARP (Home Affordable Refinance Program) ends December 31, 2018. Administered by the FHFA, HARP has been extended twice and helps homeowners whose mortgages are owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac save money through refinancing. This takes time and preparation, so don’t wait too long to check this out. 
from the FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION’S OFFICE OF CONSUMER INFORMATION:
You might have heard about the security breach of Equifax, one of the three services used to determine the creditworthiness of American consumers. Hackers were able to get in and gain access to millions of people’s private information and passwords. The entire system was vulnerable from mid-May through July, and it took a month for Equifax to even admit that someone had found their way in. It would be worth your while to check to see if your information has been breached—especially when you might be held liable for purchases made in your name. Click here, enter your last name and the last 6 digits of your Social Security number, and see if your information has been accessed. If so, you can sign up for a new free monitoring services that’s designed to keep your information safe. 
from the NC WORKS CAREER CENTER, 1105 S Briggs Ave, 919-560-6880; website:
from OPERATION MEDICINE DROP, website:
Formed by a partnership of Safe Kids North Carolina, the Riverkeepers of North Carolina, NC State Bureau of Investigation, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of North Carolina, and local law enforcement agencies, Operation Medicine Drop is an initiative that helps people safely dispose of expired and unused medications. A common practice is to flush them down the toilet, but that poisons the waters and endangers wildlife. Simply tossing them in the trash is also a bad idea. Someone could come along, fish them out, and use them as recreation drugs. A large percentage of overdoses and other drug-related problems are actually due to the abuse of over-the-counter medications (some of which have been improperly disposed of). Operation Medicine Drop provides safe dropoff points for those who want to get rid of their old medications easily and safely. Here are the Durham locations:
from UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA)/NO KID HUNGRY:
Don’t let any kid you know go hungry this summer. If you happen to know a school-age student in a low-income area who’s in danger of missing meals (breakfast and lunch) after school is let out for summer, do him or her a favor and text “FOODNC” to 877-877*. You’ll receive a message listing a nearby location where young people can get free meals. You can also call 866-3HUNGRY (866-348-6479) or visit NoKidHungryNC.org. This is a federal program that’s been in place for years—be sure to pass the word so kids don’t go hungry needlessly. * Spanish-speakers can text “COMIDA” to the same number and get help in Spanish. |
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