Yokefellow Service Center participates in pilot to maximize impact in community

Yokefellow Service Center is one of 11 crisis assistance agencies in North Carolina that successfully participated in a recent Duke Energy pilot philanthropy program aimed at supporting agency operations by reducing costs and offering supporting services.

To implement the program, Duke Energy collaborated with Restore Global, a worldwide organization that helps nonprofits maximize their impact.

With a $25,000 investment from Duke Energy, Restore Global provided direct project benefits of more than $119,000. That includes its Access to Excess program, which sources equipment at free or reduced prices. The participating organizations also collectively receive 418 hours of consultive engagement.

Yokefellow Service Center received four new computers to better serve its clients.

"As with most non-profits, we are accustomed to stretching a dollar when it comes to equipment, furniture, and supplies for our own agency so that client critical needs are met. Learning that Duke Energy, working through Restore Global, was providing four new laptops for our office left me speechless. We were aware of our need to update our computers and this will be a great savings for us as well as make us more productive. We are extremely grateful." said Cherry Smith, Executive Director, Yokefellow Service Center.

"This program, along with the many other donations, grants and assistance Duke Energy provides to the community through their partner agencies is so much greater than our citizens realize."

The ongoing financial hardship many are facing has increased the number of families Yokefellow Service Center serves each month. An important program goal was to make it easier for the agencies to focus on their clients by reducing the stress of limited resources.

"As Duke Energy looks for ways to assist our customers, we recognize that providing back-office assistance for crisis agencies like Yokefellow Service Center can make a big difference for not only the agency but the clients they serve," said Craig DeBrew, Duke Energy District Manager.

With the success of this pilot, Duke Energy plans to offer the program to other crisis assistance agencies around the state.