All Categories - Young Women Of Promise, Inc.

Earlean McKiver Rivers - 2022 President's Volunteer Service Gold Award

1/2/2023

Name of Organization:
Diversity Nurtures Achievements (DNA) Community
Youth Center

Summary of organization’s accomplishments

Year founded: 2015 in Warsaw, NC (Duplin County)

Describe your agency’s work: DNA serves as an Afterschool, Structured Learning, Summer Camp & DNA Surviving to Thrive Community Circle

What motivates you to serve? Our motivation is to continue making a positive difference in our community and the surrounding area, especially in the lives of youth served.

How has your work touched the lives of youth in your community?
Our work has touched the lives of many youths and their families in their community. The youth have excelled academically and interacted in many extracurricular activities in the county to include Project Promise To Read, 4-H and Girl Scouts. DNA is also considered as a community resource for our community.

DNA is also listed as a Disaster Relief Site for FEMA. We served over 1500 meals during the hurricanes and over 1500 meals onset of COVID-19.

Do you have a personal motto? Or Bible verse that guides your life?
“Being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you and will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6

Estimate of number of lives impacted by your work: over 1500

Describe your family: (spouse, children, etc.)
Spouse: Albert Rivers
Children: Davon, Sherrell & LeAhnie
Grandchildren: Y’Anna, Kamani, Titiuala, & Kashton

What advice would you offer to others wanting to serve?
The advice that I would give to others wanting to serve is to keep pressing oneven during difficult times and seek assistance.

Curtis Henderson Jr - 2022 President's Volunteer Service Gold Award Recipient

1/2/2023

Name of Organization: Hope to Destiny for Youth, Inc.

Education/Experience I Have 4 associate degrees: Criminal Justice; Psychology, History, English, 2 Bachelor degrees: Criminal Justice and Psychology, 3 Masters Degrees: Criminal Justice, Psychology, Science of Addiction, and License Substance Abuse Counselor N.C. LCASA

Year Founded: Hope to Destiny for Youth was founded in 2021 in Kinston, NC (Lenoir County)

Description of Agency’s work: What we do is work with kids educating them on the negative impact of gang violence, gun violence, and substance abuse. Most things dealing with guns and gangs all stem from substance abuse.

How has your work touched the lives of youth in your community this year?
We have touched a lot of youth in our community. We have given out school supplies to the youth and community twice this year. We have given out new coats to the youth in our community and to the less fortunate adults in our community. We have given out over 200 new book bags for the youth. We have given out new sneakers and shoes to the youth and less fortunate adults.

What impact has your work had on youth in your community?
We have impacted hundreds of children and adult lives through Hope to Destiny for Youth different events. Book Bag drive, Shoes and Sneaker drive, Coat Drive, School Supplies drive and our Christmas Toy drive where we gave out hundreds of toys to the community kids.

My personal Motto is “HELP ME HELP A CHILD”

Family Description: My wife name is Derita Henderson and we have been married for 40 years. We have 2 daughters together Mionna and Kaneesha. I also have two other daughters Ladonna and Shameka and two sons Curtis and Corey

What advice would you give to others wanting to serve?
My advice would be to just always stay strong and dedicated to what you believe in and never cut yourself short when it comes to helping and giving back to your community.

Courtney Murphy -2022 President's Volunteer Service Gold Award Recipient

1/2/2023

Individual’s Name:
Courtney Murphy

Education: High School Junior at Farmville Central High School

Estimate number of hours for 2022: around 400 hours

What motivates you to serve: What motivates me to help is, I’ve always wanted to give back to my community to touch the lives of people who aren’t as fortunate as I am.

Do you have a personal motto? Or a bible verse that guides your life? The bible verse that drives my life is Philippians 4:13; I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

Estimate the number of lives impacted by your work: around 90-100 people.

Describe your family: I grew up in a single-parent household, where my mom worked two jobs just to keep a roof over our heads. My mom is the person that taught me about hard work. I got my very first job at 15 years old, and I’ve been working since. I am very shy about asking of people. Everyone in my family has played a huge role in why I am the young lady I am today, especially my beautiful mother.

What advice would you offer to others wanting to serve:

I let them know that it is okay to be scared but you have to realize that you are doing a great thing to give back to your community.

Latoya Williams - 2022 President's Volunteer Gold Service Award Recipient

1/2/2023

Name of Organization:
Striving With Vision Empowerment Support Group, Inc.

Summary of organization’s accomplishments

Year founded: 2020 in Winterville, NC (Pitt County)

Describe your agency’s work:
Volunteer Community Outreach,Youth Enrichment Programs, Professional Development, Soft Skills Training, GED/Educational, Career Readiness, Life Coaching, Sister 2 Sister Support Group, Panera Bread End Day Dough-nation Food Distribution.

What motivates you to serve? The urgency to encourage self- sufficiency for community members. Bringing hope and inspiration to others through transparency. Meeting them where they are, bridging the gap by providing resources and opportunities that will make a lasting impact.

How has your work touched the lives of youth in your community? The youth were able to gain experience in team building, communication and interpersonal skills.

Do you have a personal motto? Or Bible verse that guides your life? My motto is “Expand your mind…Believe In You!” Also Jeremiah 29:11 is the bible verse that guides me daily. “For I know the plans I have for you, Says The Lord. Plans to Prosper You, Not Harm You, But To Give You Love, Hope and A Future!

Estimate of number of lives impacted by your work: We’ve served over 500 people in this past year including all outreach events.

Describe your family: (spouse, children, etc.) I have 1 Son and 3 daughters and 2 Grandkids

What advice would you offer to others wanting to serve? I would say, Always have a heart of compassion to serve and give. The smallest thing can make the biggest impact in someone’s life.

Arjenae Jones Williams - 2022 President's Volunteer Service Gold Award

1/2/2023

Name of Organization: Something2Somebody, Inc.

Summary of organization’s accomplishments

Year founded: Founded November 8, 2015 in Greenville, NC (Pitt County)

Describe your agency’s work: Something2Somebody provides hot meals to the homeless and less fortunate each Sunday in the Dream Park. We also fill pantry boxes in the community and provide toiletry products to those in need.

What motivates you to serve? I have always had a passion to serve others. Whether the church, family, job or in the community, seeing others happy makes me happy. Knowing that I have made someone else’s day better and brighter motivates me.

How has your work touched the lives of youth in your community? Youth in our community has had the ability to serve others. Through service, some have had the opportunity to experience and see just how fortunate they are. Our work has also given some youth in our community the opportunity to enjoy a hot home cooked meal.

Do you have a personal motto? Or a Bible verse that guides your life? Anybody and everybody can be something to somebody. We should all strive to help someone else, no matter how small or big it is. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40, 45, NIV)

Estimate of number of lives impacted by your work:
85 to 90 per week

Describe your family: (spouse, children, etc.) I have been married for 18 years to Kari Williams and have one son, Khyrie age 14.

What advice would you offer to others wanting to serve? “Just do it!”, find something you enjoy doing and just start.

Flora Brooks - 2022 President's Volunteer Service Silver Award Recipient

1/2/2023

Name of Organization: Reaching for the Stars

Summary of organization’s accomplishments

Year founded: 2014 in Washington, NC (Beaufort, NC)

Describe your agency’s work:
Our organization provided one-on-one educational assistance to elementary and secondary school students or to adults. As an elementary school tutor, we helped students (grades K – 8) improve their skills in reading, writing or math. In grades 9- 12th we helped tutor students with English, history, science and math. We help students build skills they will need for the rest of their lives while creating safe learning environments. We feed the homeless and volunteer work in the homeless shelter.

What motivates you to serve?

Every believer is called to a life of service: serving the Lord, and serving others. In doing this they follow the pattern set by the Lord Jesus Christ. “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

I feel happy when I help someone. I believe a small act of kindness can make a big difference in someone's life. I personally volunteer because it creates a sense of belonging. It gives you a sense of purpose. When I volunteer at a homeless shelter I learned about the experience of the homeless. I volunteer at the House of Hope; I gain insight about the homeless and battered women.

How has your work touched the lives of youth in your community?
Through tutoring students improved in self confidence about reading, motivation for reading, and behavior, both among those tutored and among peer or cross-age tutors.

Do you have a personal motto? Or Bible verse that guides your life?

"If you can’t fly, then run, If you can’t run, then walk, If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."

Describe your family: (spouse, children, etc.)
My family consists of my mother; father is a member of the Washington City Council; my older brother is a Navy veteran and my daughter who is a former magistrate. My family strongly believes in hard working, gratitude, being passionate about helping others, givers and love from the crest of my family shield.

What advice would you offer to others wanting to serve?

It’s important to be passionate about wanting to serve others. You have to enjoy helping others.

Willie H. Joyner Jr. - 2022 President's Volunteer Service Award Recipient

1/2/2023

Name of Organization: HYPE

Summary of organization’s accomplishments

Year founded: 1995

Describe your agency’s work: Helping Yourself With Pride through Education (HYPE) is a program designed to work with kids on the values of Leadership, Scholarship and Service. We use the art forms of Step, Dance and Acting to also build self-esteem, and motivation for high academic achievement. We have also done community projects to help feed the homeless and to recognize and award area youth for the sacrifices they make in helping to make our community a better place to live and work.

What motivates you to serve?

It started with a little seed planted at an early age. My mom and dad served as pastors and I watched them serve others for years. When I started teaching in 1995, I saw the need for students to have extracurricular activities for them to stay focused and to develop a passion for something that they will fall in love with and help idle time. Continuing to meet kids and parents who wanted this type of structure motivates me to continue each day.

How has your work touched the lives of youth in your community?

We have won numerous championships including the Disney National Step Show Championship, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship (CIAA), along with being contestants on 3 episodes of NBC’s TV Show, “America’s Got Talent”. These, plus numerous other wins, along with a strict accountability structure, have helped to improve self-esteem and motivation. However, the biggest way we touch lives is with an understanding of how education is important for your future. We have been in existence for 28 years now and have a 100% graduation rate. Many of our kids go to college or the military after high school.

Do you have a personal motto? Or Bible verse that guides your life?

Thinking of Ourselves Today, Developing Ourselves for tomorrow. Make decisions today that will have a positive effect on your tomorrow. Don’t dig a ditch that you can not get out of.

Describe your family:
I am married to the lovely Latoya Joyner. We have 3 daughters (Mia Mewborn, Kyra Joyner, Keturah Joyner). We also have 2 grandkids (Julian Jenkins, Arielle Joyner). My dad died in 2007, However, Betty Joyner Haddock is my mom and pastor. She is married to Tony Haddock. I have one brother (Anthony Joyner) and two sisters (Angela Joyner, and Arlene Joyner)

What advice would you offer to others wanting to serve?

Find a way to make it work. There is a way we all can contribute to helping to make our world a better place.

Pastor Barbara Sutton - 2022 President's Volunteer Service Gold Award Recipient

1/2/2023

Name of Organization:
Kinston Lenoir County NAACP
and Pastor of Christ the Caring Ministries

Summary of organization’s accomplishments
Year founded:1909 (serves Lenoir County, NC)

Describe your agency’s work: The NAACP is a Civil Rights Organization that works to achieve equity, political rights and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination and accelerate the well being, education and economic security of Black and all Persons of Color.
The NAACP Advocates for the Community as well Educates the Community. We Fight for Inclusion and Diversity. We address issues on every level.

What motivates you to serve? The Strong desire to see ALL People treated fairly and to be afforded the opportunities that will cause them to excel in this Life.

How has your work touched the lives of youth in your community? By being a strong Advocate for the Youth and others, positive change has taken place as it pertains to Education, as the result of being a part of DMC there has been a decrease in the number of Youth now obtaining criminal backgrounds while still in School.

I'm Honored to be the Author of Project PRESS, Project CREST and Project YES. As the result of the NAACP Project PRESS ( Parents Rising Encouraging Students Success) there has been an increase in Parents Advocating for their Child/Children. As the result of the NAACP Project CREST
(Churches Rising Encouraging Students Success Today & Tomorrow) some Churches are now providing resources for the Youth that has caused Youth to be better in School and their Community. As the result of the NAACP Project YES (Youth Encouraging Success) through the Free Starter Library Project ( I Read, You Read, We Read) has enhanced the reading Skills of many Youth which has resulted in them doing better in School. This Project YES has also opened up doors for the Youth to earn Community Service Hours, that is needed for College Scholarships, as well as them being trained to be a Leader at a Young age. Also as the Founder and Pastor of Christ The Caring YOUTH Ministry, Youth lives has been touched and changed through the YEP (Youth Exposure Program), EOSP ( Eyes of Success Program),
CC(Confidential Counseling). WOE (Words of Empowerment), and FT ( Fellowship Time).

Do you have a personal motto? Or Bible verse that guides your life? #WeAreBetterTogether

Estimate of number of lives impacted by your work: I know that with God's help I've touched so many lives. The number I don't have however if We want to just speak to 2022 I would estimate it to be approximately 317.

Describe your family: (spouse, children, etc.) I'm a Mother of 3 and the Grandmother of 15. I'm a College Graduate more than once. I made HISTORY in 2019 by being the FIRST Elected FEMALE to Serve as the President of the Kinston Lenoir County NAACP and was Honored to be Elected in Nov 2022 to Serve a 3rd Term. I also made HISTORY by being the FIRST President of the Lenoir County Chapter of the NCAWM ( North Carolina Association for Women in Ministry) in 2020 and I'm presently still serving as President. I presently serve as the Executive Director of County Chapter and Foreign Mission Liaison on the State level of the NCAWM. I presently serve as the NC State NAACP Freedom Fund Chairperson. I'm the Founder and Pastor of Christ The Caring Ministries. I'm a Lifetime Learner.

What advice would you offer to others wanting to serve? Serve from Your Heart,Surround Yourself with Positive People and never stop learning because knowledge is Power.

2023 President's Volunteer Service Award Recipients

1/2/2023

2022 President Volunteer Service Awards

12/25/2022

The President's Volunteer Service Awards will be presented at the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration sponsored by Young Women of Promise, Inc. in partnership with ENC Nonprofit Partners, Inc. The event will be held on Monday, January 16, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Temple of Zion International Ministries located at 1012 Dickinson Avenue in Greenville, NC.

As a Certifying Organization of the Points of Light Foundation, ENC Nonprofit Partners will present the prestigious President's Volunteer Service Awards for outstanding community service to:

Flora Brooks, Reaching for the Stars, Inc. (Beaufort County)
Curtis Henderson, Hope to Destiny for Youth, Inc. (Lenoir County)
Courtney Murphy, Farmville High School (Pitt County)
Willie Joyner, HYPE Leadership Institute, Inc.
Earlean Rivers, Diversity Nurtures Achievement Community Youth Center (Duplin County)
Barbara Sutton, Kinston-Lenoir NAACP and Christ The Caring Ministries (Lenoir County)
Arjenae Jones Williams, Something2Somebody, Inc. (Pitt County) and
LaToya Williams, Striving with Vision Empowerment Support Group, Inc. (Pitt County).