Patrice Scherri Matthews Foundation

10/27/2026

https://albemarleobserver.news/2026/10/26/turning-pain-into-purpose-chowan-county-gathers-around-the-marcus-jackson-project/
Thanks so much, Nicole, for inviting us to join the conversation. I’m sorry I had to miss it—we were presenting LEAN on ME at the same time. I’ll be sure to join the next one! Patrice's Foundation is really looking forward to teaming up and working with The Marcus Jackson Project.🧡

“To me, that’s what distinguishes the Marcus Jackson Project,” Nicole Layton said. “It began as a way to honor Marcus, but its work has expanded into an effort to support other families and bring the community together around a difficult issue that doesn’t have an easy solution.”

10/24/2026

🏠 To rent a modest two-bedroom without spending more than 30% of your pay, the national figure is $34.73 an hour, working full time.

That's the National Low Income Housing Coalition's 2026 "housing wage," and the table shows it for every state next to that state's minimum wage. It runs from $19.23 in West Virginia to $52.79 in California.

The gap with the minimum wage is wide everywhere. In no state does a 40-hour week at the minimum cover a two-bedroom. The closest is Missouri at 59 hours. In New Hampshire, where the $7.25 federal minimum applies, it takes 216.

People read this number two very different ways, and both have a point.

One side says it shows how far rents have moved past wages, especially for single-income households and anyone paid by the hour.

The other side points to how the measure is built: it assumes one earner, one full-time job, a two-bedroom unit, no roommates, and the 30% rule. Plenty of households have a second income, share housing, or rent something smaller.

The numbers themselves aren't in dispute. What they should mean for policy is where people disagree.

If you rent, the useful number is your own: take your monthly rent, multiply by 12, divide by 0.3, then divide by 2,080 hours. That's the hourly wage your rent assumes.

10/23/2026

Waterbury, Connecticut, Patrice's Hometown. Please make a conscious effort to attend. Represent, please🧡

10/22/2026

10/21/2026

WELL SAID...👏👏👏

LET’S HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY, CHURCHES, AND HELPING THOSE IN NEED.

As the Executive Director of
Sage and Sweetgrass at the Bradshaw House Inc. ., I believe in helping people. That is the heart of our mission. However, I also believe in accountability, shared responsibility, and organizations doing their part.

When churches reach out to our nonprofit asking us to house individuals, I sometimes have to ask a difficult but necessary question:

Why is a small, independently funded nonprofit being asked to take on the responsibility when the church or organization making the request may have greater resources, facilities, funding, and a support system to help that individual?

Let me be clear: I am not saying that churches should not refer people to us. I understand that there are situations where we may be an appropriate resource. But a referral should not automatically mean that the responsibility falls on us and us ALONE!

Sage & Sweetgrass at the Bradshaw House Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Northeastern North Carolina by providing essential resources and housing to those in need. We currently house individuals, help people navigate difficult circumstances, connect them with resources, and work to give them an opportunity to rebuild their lives.

We do this without government funding. The house was purchased with my own personal funds and renovated with my own money, hard work, sweat, and tears. We depend on donations and the generosity of others to continue this work.

We cannot continue to be expected to carry the weight of the community's needs while other organizations with greater resources step back and pass the responsibility along.

The church is not just a place to worship. It is also a place where compassion should be put into action.

If a church has the ability to provide housing, financial assistance, temporary accommodations, or meaningful support, I believe those options should be explored before placing the entire burden on another nonprofit.

This is not about competition. It is not about recognition. It is not about refusing to help.

It is about partnership, accountability, and making sure the responsibility of caring for our neighbors is shared.

We will continue to help where we can, within our capacity and resources. But we must also protect the mission, sustainability, and people already depending on us.

Please do not mistake our compassion for an unlimited capacity to take on every need.

Helping people should never be the responsibility of just one organization. When we all have a role to play, we should all be willing to play it.

Belinda Dixon-Dawson
Executive Director
Sage & Sweetgrass at the Bradshaw House Inc.

10/18/2026

PRACTICING SHARING MATTERS and KINDNESS IN KEY!!!

10/17/2026

Attention, families! All Gates County Schools will be CLOSED FOR STUDENTS on the following dates:

Monday, October 19, 2026 – Optional Teacher Workday

Tuesday, October 20, 2026 – Mandatory Teacher Workday

Students will return to school on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, following their regular schedule.

We hope our students and families enjoy the extended break!