Community Collaboration
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants:
NMFRC helped Robbins apply for and receive several EPA grants. The latest approved EPA grants will allow Robbins to clean up the old mill site. Once cleaned up, developers can revitalize the property for new economic development projects designed to increase community pride and to move the community forward.
NMFRC building
In 2015, the town of Robbins voted to lease its former fire and rescue squad building to NMFRC for ten years for $1 per year. In need of substantial renovations, NMFRC enlisted the aid of Christine Dandeneau of Dandeneau Architecture in Pinehurst, N.C. Working with NMFRC pro bono, Dandeneau designed the renovations in three phases. These phases will provide the NMFRC building with four HOPE Academy preschool classrooms, two large multi-purpose areas, NMFRC offices, a kitchen and a teacher workroom. As of summer of 2018, all three phases were compete allowing the summer program to be held in-house.
Free Tax Return Preparation
NMFRC partners with AARP each year to provide free tax preparation for families in the northern Moore area.
Housing
Northern Moore County has a shortage of safe, affordable, energy-efficient housing. NMFRC has initiated several activities designed to improve housing opportunities in our community.
Home ownership program
From 2010-2013, NMFRC offered a home ownership program. Funded through a grant, the program’s goal was to help hardworking families accumulate assets through financial education and home ownership. In order the help families develop a habit of saving, the program participants were required to save at least $50.00 per month until a goal of $1000.00 is reached. Workshops focused on developing a spending plan, building credit, credit repair, and understanding loan and closing documents. The grant provided a $2000 match to be used at closing for a down payment.
Through the program, more than forty Moore County residents participated in seven financial education classes and nine families became homeowners. After the program ended, four additional families purchased a home.
NMFRC and Habitat for Humanity
In the past few years, NMFRC facilitated conversations between the town of Robbins and Habitat for Humanity. As a result, Robbins sold Habitat for Humanity a piece of property owned by the town for one dollar. The first home has been completed and was dedicated on June 8th, 2017. The new homeowner is a local Robbins resident who participated in our home ownership program’s financial education classes.
Purchase and renovation
In 2010-2012, thanks to a grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, NMFRC bought and renovated an old mill house. One of the families in our homeownership program purchased the home in 2014.
Green Spaces
Tracy C. Brown Park
In 2014, NMFRC applied for and received a grant from KaBoom!, a non-profit organization which provides playground equipment for economically challenged areas. The grant provided new equipment for Robbins’ Tracy C. Brown Park, which is across the street from NMFRC’s offices and HOPE Academy.
The town of Robbins owns and maintains the park and NMFRC owns the new equipment, which it leases to the Town for $1 a year. Families come for picnics in the park’s cleaned up pavilion, older folks come to sit and read and enjoy the outdoors, parents and their young children come to play in the fenced area, and HOPE Academy classes visit the park for a play break almost daily. The park collaboration benefits all.
Green Space Project
NMFRC and the Town of Robbins collaborated to create a community green space, stage, and basketball court. The area includes a fenced in space that is used by HOPE Academy. The space is used for large group activities like the annual Farmers Day celebration, as well as NMFRC’s free summer program.