Press
SECU Members Partner with NCHFA to Benefit Housing Project in Durham, NC.
G. Mark Twisdale, Executive Director
SECU Foundation
919 839-5180
secufoundation@ncsecu.org
Raleigh, NC, August 30, 2012 – Partnering with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA), SECU members via the SECU Foundation, provided a 0% construction loan to help build the James Street Group Living Dormitories, which serve as transitional housing for individuals recovering from substance abuse. Sponsored by the Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA) Inc., the project includes two new 13 bedroom dormitory buildings located on a 12.5 acre campus in southwest Durham, NC and will accommodate up to 150 enrolled participants in a safe, supportive, and drug-free environment. The new dormitories will provide centralized housing on the James Street Campus and will assist with the program’s operations and transportation logistics.
TROSA, a non-profit, is a comprehensive two-year residential substance abuse rehabilitation program that moves individuals with severe substance abuse problems out of the criminal justice system and helps place them into jobs where they can be productive, taxpaying members of the community. TROSA’s program gives participants the tools they need to rebuild their lives and maintain their sobriety when they leave the program. Services provided include vocational training, adult literacy or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) education, counseling, mentoring, leadership training and aftercare. Over 1,100 people have graduated from TROSA’s program since 1994 and gone on to live healthy, productive lives as members of their communities and families.
Jim Barber, SECU Foundation Board Chair comments, “TROSA’s transitional housing program will provide essential supportive services in an environment designed to help residents overcome substance abuse. SECU members are dedicated to making a positive difference for North Carolina citizens and local communities. SECU Foundation’s partnership with NCHFA to assist with James Street Dormitories helps the residents succeed and move forward with their lives. This project is a fine example of the Credit Union ‘People Helping People’ philosophy.”
Mary Reca Todd, Manager of Supportive Housing for the NC Housing Finance Agency remarks, “The partnership between the NC Housing Finance Agency and SECU Foundation has and continues to be an integral part of bringing many wonderful projects to fruition. The addition of the two new James Street dormitories in Durham will increase the capacity of TROSA’s rehabilitation program to serve more men and women with substance abuse problems. We are thankful for the Foundation’s assistance in helping these individuals become successful in their personal lives and within their communities.”
About SECU and the SECU Foundation
SECU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members. SECU has been providing the employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 75 years. With close to 1.8 million members, SECU provides services through 244 branch offices, 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Contact Centers and a website, www.ncsecu.org. The SECU Foundation, a 501c (3) charitable organization funded solely by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high impact projects in the areas of education, health and human services.