First Presbyterian Church is a vibrant 300-household congregation located in Durham, North Carolina. The campaign has raised $2.5 million to-date to fund their building expansion and renovation project, increasing opportunities for community outreach, mission, hospitality, and fellowship in the heart of Durham.

In pre-campaign conversations, it was clear that having “mission” type components to the campaign was a significant priority for many members of the congregation and potential donors. Thus, the following two mission components were incorporated into the campaign as a key driver of a larger overall response.

 RIP Medical Debt https://ripmedicaldebt.org/

RIP Medical Debt is a nonprofit that relieves $10,000 in medical debt with every $100 donated. $50,000 from the capital campaign will be allocated for this initiative, which will relieve $5 MILLION in debt for people below 200% of the federal poverty level or with medical debt representing at least 5% of their gross income. This is a tremendous opportunity for the congregation to put their learning about racial injustice and reparations into immediate action by providing serious financial (and emotional) systemic relief to families in Durham.

Check out this NPR Report about RIP Medical Debt…https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/08/15/1093769295/this-groups-wiped-out-6-7-billion-in-medical-debt-and-its-just-getting-started

Iglesia Emanuel Tutoring

First Presbyterian has been a sister congregation to Iglesia Emanuel since its inception in 2000, helping to get it started and continuing to support the church through financial gifts and volunteers. During the pandemic, the needs in the Latinx community in Durham skyrocketed. In early 2022, the tutoring program began again in earnest, with children and their parents eager for learning and connection. $50,000 from the campaign will go to support a part time tutoring coordinator for three years so that the tutoring program will flourish and expand.

Fred Stoltz, Sr. Director
The James Company
Phone: (414) 690-3426
Email: fstoltz@jamescompany.com