Starting in 1999, every dollar contributed to this campaign has returned directly to Durham, through the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership Initiative. Duke launched in 1996, when it began developing partnerships with 12 Durham neighborhoods near campus and the 7 schools that serve them.
Donations help support initiative programs which address unmet needs identified by residents.
More than 300 Duke volunteers have tutored children in the partner elementary schools through the America Reads and American Counts programs, which stress literacy and math skills. Duke has also significantly expanded arts programming in the schools. The focus is on broadening academic and career aspirations, in addition to providing summer work opportunities. It has been hailed as the outstanding mentoring program of its kind in the United States. For three years, Tamecia has been in Partners for Youth,' says Thera McLean, a patient transporter at Duke Hospital from West End whose granddaughter is in the program.