CEF: Community Empowerment Fund

CEF: Community Empowerment Fund The Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) is a non-profit organization in Durham and Orange Counties of North Carolina.

CEF’s mission is to cultivate opportunities, assets, and communities that sustain transitions out of homelessness and poverty. Founded in 2009, CEF provides person-centered support, financial education, and asset building tools to individuals experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Our approach combines person-centered support with financial services that pursue equity in order to reduce

the racial wealth gap. CEF Members receive sustained one-on-one support from volunteer Advocates, trained in racial equity and trauma-informed care, to help achieve their chosen goals. Working with Advocates, Members secure housing, gain employment, and build savings in order to increase assets and sustain transitions out of poverty. CEF creates a community of support that empowers Members, offers experiential learning opportunities for Advocates to grow and learn, and advocacy and collaboration to address the systemic causes of homelessness and poverty. CEF’s work is grounded in recognition of the detrimental impacts of systemic racism on Black and Brown members of our communities. We leverage the combined resources of passion for sustaining transitions out of homelessness, dedicated volunteers, partners with shared values, and cross-spectrum collaborations to offer holistic support to each Member.

Join us for an evening with Local First Bank as we learn practical tools and strategies to help us better understand cre...
08/10/2026

Join us for an evening with Local First Bank as we learn practical tools and strategies to help us better understand credit and budgeting.

The goal of this class is to provide CEF Members with knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions, and build a strong foundation for their financial future.

CEF Members who attend this Community Class will receive financial coaching session credit toward their next Safe Savings 20% match!

Looking for a meaningful way to get involved in Orange County? Become a CEF Advocate and partner with Members as they wo...
07/30/2026

Looking for a meaningful way to get involved in Orange County?

Become a CEF Advocate and partner with Members as they work toward housing and financial stability. As an Advocate, you’ll build meaningful relationships, grow through ongoing learning, and make a lasting impact in your community.

Applications for our Fall 2026 Orange County Advocate Cohort are due August 14th!
Apply today: https://tinyurl.com/Fall-Advocate

Due to the forecasted weather, we have made the decision to cancel tomorrow’s FID/House Us Now event. We plan to resched...
07/24/2026

Due to the forecasted weather, we have made the decision to cancel tomorrow’s FID/House Us Now event. We plan to reschedule the event for a later date and will share the new date as soon as it is confirmed.

Thank you for your understanding, support, and flexibility. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We wanted to share an important update about our Executive Director, Donna. She recently suffered a stroke and is taking...
07/15/2026

We wanted to share an important update about our Executive Director, Donna. She recently suffered a stroke and is taking some time away from work to focus on her health and healing.

Our team is keeping Members served, but we are missing her day-to-day presence immensely. Donna brings expertise and dedication to CEF that simply can’t be replaced, and we’re all looking forward to having her back in the office, after she takes time to recover.

To help Donna and her family focus on what matters right now, friends have set up a Meal Train. If you would like to support them by dropping off a meal or sending a thoughtful message, you can sign up at the link below.

Thank you for helping us support her the way she always supports this community.

👇
https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/l321ew

Change You Can See Here’s a sneak peek into CEF’s 2025 Annual ReportTo explore the full report and learn more about our ...
06/23/2026

Change You Can See

Here’s a sneak peek into CEF’s 2025 Annual Report

To explore the full report and learn more about our work, visit: www.communityef.org or the link in our bio.

Save the Date!House Us Now! March & Financial Independence Day CelebrationFinancial Independence Day is almost here!Join...
06/23/2026

Save the Date!

House Us Now! March & Financial Independence Day Celebration
Financial Independence Day is almost here!

Join us on July 25th at Strayhorn House as we march together to Baldwin Park in support of housing justice and economic empowerment. Stand in solidarity with tenants demanding housing for all and help celebrate CEF Members as they advance on their journeys toward financial freedom.

March Gathering Location:
Strayhorn House
109 Jones Ferry Rd.
Carrboro, NC

March Destination:
Baldwin Park
400 Broad Street
Carrboro, NC

Join our CEF OC Team! We are hiring for a full time position: Advocate Program Coordinator (APC). Please submit (1) cove...
06/22/2026

Join our CEF OC Team! We are hiring for a full time position: Advocate Program Coordinator (APC).

Please submit (1) cover letter, (2) a resume, and (3) contact information for 3 references to [email protected] with subject “OC-APC” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

For more information and full job description, visit our website: www.communityef.org/hiring

Address

125 West Main Street , Suite 200
Carrboro, NC
27510

Opening Hours

Monday 10:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 10:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 10:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday 10:30am - 4:30pm
5pm - 7pm

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