RALEIGH, N.C., March 30, 2015 – Passage Home, a nonprofit organization fighting poverty and homelessness in Wake County, has partnered with the J.D. Lewis Multi-Purpose Center to raise $250,000 in 2015 for their “Building A Stronger Raleigh Together” campaign. The campaign seeks to raise funds to combat the issues facing local families struggling to make ends meet, including access to stable housing, healthy food, education, jobs and more. In order to reach their goal, the organizations are hosting several fundraising events throughout the year.

A pop-up VIP event will be held May 2 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at to kick off fundraising for the campaign. The evening’s festivities will include live musical performances, food, drinks and more. Tickets are available to the general public for $175 each. Stay tuned to http://strongerraleigh.com for more VIP surprises and updates.

A Summer Festival will be held at Needham B. Broughton High School Aug. 1 to close out summer vacation and bring in the new school year. This family-friendly event will be the ultimate destination for summer fun, and will feature moon bounces, slip-n-slides, rock walls, food trucks and more. In addition, an All-Star Exhibition Basketball Game will be held the same day in Broughton’s Holliday Gymnasium. Professional and college players with local ties will participate, including Garner Magnet High School graduate and Indiana Pacers forward David West, as well as former NC State men’s basketball standouts T.J. Warren, Julius Hodge and Chris Corchiani,

Sponsorships are available for both events, and include admission tickets to the festival and basketball game. Funds raised through all events will help Passage Home and the J.D. Lewis Multi-Purpose Center serve more than 3,125 local citizens and help expand an existing basketball facility, add two soccer fields and one baseball field that will impact more than 1,000 families in Southeast Raleigh.

For more information on the Building A Stronger Raleigh Together campaign or to donate, visit http://strongerraleigh.com.

QUOTES:

“Our mission is to break the cycle of poverty for the communities we serve in Wake County by connecting families and neighborhoods to resources and opportunities,” said Jeanne Tedrow, CEO of Passage Home. “We are proud to work with J.D. Lewis Multi-Purpose Center to achieve this mission, which will help make the entire Raleigh community stronger and more economically sustainable for those in need in our area.”

“Raleigh is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, but not everyone is reaping the benefits,” said Tedrow. “As the number of citizens grows, so does the number of underserved. That’s why we at Passage Home, along with the J.D. Lewis Multi-Purpose Center, are uniting to build a stronger Raleigh together. We need everyone’s help to succeed, so we encourage organizations, businesses and the public to get involved today.”

“The J.D. Lewis Multi-Purpose Center was created to improve the lives of people living throughout Raleigh, Wake County and North Carolina,” said Dwayne West, the center’s executive director. “Building a Stronger Raleigh will give us the ability to increase our offerings and help build the futures of the people we serve. Working together “WE” can pay it forward primarily through efforts to reduce poverty and offering much needed educational opportunities. We are proud to partner with Passage Home – people with like minds, goals and hearts. It will take all of us to make a difference, so join us!”

DETAILS:

- Passage Home offers services impacting family self-sufficiency, youth development, neighborhood stabilization and revitalization, economic and community development for citizens throughout Wake County.

- The mission of the J.D. Lewis Multi-Purpose Center is to service and impact youth through enhanced educational opportunities designed to create a positive leisure, cultural and educational experience that enhances the quality of life.

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Passage Home Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/passagehome

Passage Home Twitter account:

https://twitter.com/PassageHome

ABOUT PASSAGE HOME:

Passage Home is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community action agency headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1991, the organization fights poverty and homelessness in Wake County by developing people and places, and strengthening communities. Through its network of local corporations, congregations and community organizations, Passage Home focuses on two core services: family self-sufficiency (people) and economic development (places). The nonprofit also strives to improve the community it serves through giving program participants a hand up, not a handout. Passage Home relies on 29 full-time employees, 10 part-time employees and more than 500 volunteers to make its vision a success. For more information, visit http://passagehome.org.

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